
Glass_LA2ail_ 
BookJSj^JLBX. 



X 



"Histr'-ot a|. CoUvT\b>a . "Bodvd ol^^dlw-caV'on, 



RESULTS of an Investigation, author- 
ized by the Board of Education, 
into the Educational and Administrative 
Efficiency of Roscoe Conkling Bruce, 
Assistant Superintendent (1 907-1 91 9) of "X 

the Colored Schools of the District of 
Columbia. 



c'-^'q-j 



9^ 



«v 



The Majority Report of the Special Committee on the Bruce 
case which follows is issued with the hearty approval of the 
Board of Education of the District of Columbia. We believe 
that the care shown by the Special Committee and the soundness 
of its conclusions will be apparent to every reasonable citizen 
of Washington. After mature deliberation we find ourselves in 
no doubt concerning the upright character of the Assistant 
Superintendent of Colored Schools. Respecting his educational 
and administrative fitness — for the position he has held for 
twelve years — we. are reassured, and do hereby announce our 
determination to do all that is possible to give scope to his plans 
as director of the colored schools, and to protect his good name. 



October 22, 1919. 



John Van Schaick, Jr., 
President of the Board of Education. 

0. Of ii>. 

JAN If 1920 



MAJORITY REPORT. 

Washington, D. C, October 8, 1919. 
To the Board of Education of the District of Columbia, 

Ladies and Gentlemen : 

1. At your meeting held on July 30, 1919, 'the following 
resolutions were formulated and duly passed : 

Resolved: That a committee of the Board of Education — three in num- 
ber — be named by the President of the Board of Education to take promptly 
such steps as they may deem necessary to investigate the question of the 
administrative and educational efficiency of Roscoe C. Bruce, Assistant 
Superintendent of public schools of the District. 

Resolved: That the aforesaid committee of three be authorized to make 
a careful report to the Board on its linding-s, with such recommendations 
as they see fit to make. 

The committee as named at the meeting consisted of H. Bar- 
rett Learned, Chairman, Fountain Peyton, and Mrs. Coralie F. 
Cook. 

2. In stating to you the mode of reaching our conclusions 
and the conclusions themselves, and in offering a single recom- 
mendation (in paragraph 25 following) , we do so with full recog- 
nition of the responsibility resting upon the Board either in ac- 
cepting our conclusions and recommendation as they stand, or 
in making such alterations or modifications as the Board may 
consider to be wise. 

I 

3. Letters requesting their appearance before your special 
committee on definite days were sent to forty-eight men and 
women, most of whom were known to have or to have had more 
or less intimate relations to the school organization of the Dis- 
trict. No hard and fast lines, however, were drawn : the com- 
mittee, acting deliberately, sought for persons who, it had rea- 
son to believe, could be counted on for specific knowledge con- 
cerning a variety of matters pertaining to educational and ad- 
ministrative organization, and who were likely to have intelli- 

3 



gent impressions, whether favorable or unfavorable, as to the 
character and v^ork over the past thirteen years of Roscoe C. 
Bruce. Inasmuch as the Parents' League appeared to be inter- 
ested in the vv^elfare of the public schools, it was easily decided 
to ask the president of the League to name five representative 
members — only four of whom, as it happened, appeared before 
the special committee. Including Mr. Bruce, thirty-four (34) 
out of forty-eight persons came before the committee voluntarily 
and gave testimony. Of the additional fourteen asked to come, 
four declined; five or six others were so far away that they in- 
formed the committee that they could not appear without under- 
going great inconvenience; the remainder sent no responses. 
The entire committee took part in the questioning of thirty-three 
witnesses. Mr. Fountain Peyton, opposed to inviting the As- 
sistant Superintendent to come before the committee for the 
purpose of answering questions relating to facts diflScult, if not 
impossible, otherwise to obtain, withdrew at the last — on August 
13 — when it w^s decided as in the interests of truth to summon 
Mr. Bruce. 

4. Your special committee held nine sessions, every session 
lasting on an average about two hours. Sessions began on Mon- 
day afternoon, August 4; others followed on August 5, 6, 7, 8, 
11, 12, 13, and 14. The testimony obtained and taken down 
stenographically for record amounted to about 739 pages. About 
40 pages of additional material in the shape of correspondence 
or reports that might have a bearing upon your judgment as to 
the relative weight of the testimony, were inserted as an ap- 
pendix. 

5. While a decided majority of the witnesses showed no in- 
clination to criticize adversely the school administration or the 
Assistant Superintendent, you should observe that the commit- 
tee gave rather more time and space in the record to those in- 
clined for any reason to criticize or find fault with Mr. Bruce. 
Moreover, it should be stated once and for all that the committee 
lost no opportunity to follow up remarks from any of the wit- 
nesses which reflected upon the character of the man at the head 
of the colored schools. Educational and administrative work, to 
be effective and sound in any school organization, must be predi- 
cated on the character of the director of such work. 

4 



II 

6. In the light of the testimony, your committee discovers no 
ground for statements emanating from a variety of sources / 
which would implicate the Assistant Superintendent as guilty of ! 
serious breaches of morality. We find no sound reasons for be- 

I lieving that he gambles, plays the races, or is a drinking man. _ 

7. The testimony concerning the so-called Relay accident, 
which occurred on the night of April 21-22, 1915, is such that no 
careful scrutiny of the main facts of that unlucky ride nepd 
leave the circumstances any longer in the nature of suspicious. 
Simply stated, a public official at a late hour of the night, or very 
early in the morning, carrying friends, who had helped him to 
celebrate a birthday, from Washington to Baltimore, met with 
an automobile accident and was seriously hurt. Gossip arose; 
those hostile to the man did not hesitate to malign him ; and ap- 
parently he made no public statement in his own defense. The 
fact that he did not do so was probably due to the slow and pro- 
longed process of recovery, and dependence upon the judgment — 
mistaken, we think — of friends. Although our testimony con- 
cerning the accident is belated, it is sufficient henceforth to free 
him from criticism on this score. \ 

8. Charges of untruthfulness and an inclination to misstate- 
ment and prevarication which are made from time to time in 
the course of the testimony — to some extent by those otherwise 
favorable to the Assistant Superintendent — involve as a rule 
petty dissatisfaction and disagreement with his conclusions. 
The law has placed him in a position where final decision must 
rest occasionally with higher authorities — he cannot himself be 
decisive. Always to know what to do for an applicant for a 
position is not an easy matter. Mr. Bruce has not always been 
alert or quite open, we think, in stating his inability to decide 
an issue. Mistakes have been made on his part; and now and 
again some degree of injustice through his failure to make simple 
direct statements may have been done. He would strengthen 
himself in the eyes of his subordinates, we think, if naturally 
he could be a little less diplomatic in speech. The balance of 
evidence, however, is clearly in his favor as a man of right and 
fair intentions. 



9. While we are not specially concerned with past history, it 
seems fair to recall at this point the fact that former Superin- 
tendent William M. Davidson came to Washington duly urged 
at the outset to make a study of Mr. Bruce's fitness for the posi- 
tion. After examining the matter over a series of months, Dr. 
Davidson gave the Assistant Superintendent a good rating, and 
with the assistance of the Board of Education cleared up several 
troublesome spots. The rumor that still seems to have life — 
to the effect that Dr. Davidson once asked for Mr. Bruce's resig- 
nation — may be set down on the authority of Dr. Davidson him- 
self as a "rank fabrication." So far as we are aware, no super- 
intendent of schools has ever had occasion, during the twelve 
years of Mr. Bruce's incumbency of his position, to make any 
such request. 

10. The foregoing paragraphs (6, 7, 8, and 9) are concerned 
with Mr. Bruce's character as a man. Such testimony from a 
wide range of witnesses as could be obtained substantiates our 
conclusion that Mr. Bruce is a^man of good character/ We turn 
at this point to the results of our investigation into his educa- 
tion and the problem of his educational efficiency. 

Ill 

11. Trained for two years (1896-1898) at Phillips' Academy 
at Exeter, New Hampshire, a fitting school then under the di- 
rection of the late Harlan P. Amen, Bruce was one of the editors 
of "The Exonian." For the four following years (1898-1902), 
he was at Harvard University. There he was rated as a stu- 
dent fitted on graduation to become a member of the Phi Beta 
Kappa Society, composed only of a limited number of the more 
distinguished scholars. He received his A. B. degree in 1902, 
hnagna cum laude. Teachers and classmates in both institu- 
tions held him in high esteem. Not a few letters in our posses- 
sion or scanned by the committee reveal the opinion up to the 
current year that R. C. Bruce was and is a man of ability. 
Among these letters note may be made of those from ex-Presi- 
dent Charles W. Eliot, Professors Paul Hanus, George Pierce 
Baker, Frank W. Taussig, and Thomas Nixon Carver — no one 
of whom is likely to speak loosely when vouchsafing opinions. 
All the men just named, excepting President Eliot, knew Bruce 
in the classroom. 

6 



12. Interested chiefly in the hunianities, Bruce studied at Har- 
vard economics, philosophy (including ethics and psychology), 
French, German, English, history, and during his final year 
educational theory, practice, and the history of education. He 
gave no attention to mathematics, to science, or to the classics. 
Like many another Harvard graduate brought up during the 
period when the elective system was in full swing, he was per- 
mitted to choose the larger portion of his studies in accordance 
with personal taste or whim. In the light of maturer reflection 
the early neglect of science — of such subjects as chemistry, 
physics, biology, and geology — he has had reason to regret. 
During his ,third year at college he decided to turn his attention 
to education as a profession^. This decision was made partly 
through the counsel and influence of the late Booker T. Washing- 
ton. Before graduation Bruce had visited Hampton Inst.itute, 
schools for colored children at Atlanta, and Tuskegee. LAbout 
the time of graduating from Harvard he was off'ered the position 
of organizer and director of the academic department at Tus- 
kegee, where he came directly under Mr. Washington's guidance^ 
[ 13. Bruce spent a period of four years (1902-1906) at Tus- 
kegee. There he directed a department, to some extent teaching 
various subjects in the classroom during day, night, and summer 
sessions. He lectured frequently, organized the work, and inci- 
dentally won the confidence and regard of Mr. Washington, who 
Was disposed to promote his interests either at Tuskegee or 
elseM^here. In June, , 1903, Jie was married- 

14. These years at Tuskegee gave Bruce his, first experience in 
studying the social, industrial, and educational problems of his 
race. It is true that he had had no advanced training in educa- 
tion at college — he holds no Ph.D. degree, the customary mark 
of a specialized writer or scholar. He has had no training in a 
normal school. What he appears to have Sone was to accept a 
variety of experiences in educational work at Tuskegee in ac- 
cordance with the circumstances of his position, gaining from 
such experiences what he could gain, and having the peculiar 
advantage near his start of coming into close relation and 
friendly contact with one of the most conspicuous and able lead- 
ers of his people. Inevitably during these years he got away 
from the standards of traditional classical modes of educational 
thought and practices — his mind was aroused along lines of 

7 



industrial and vocational training. Could he have had, it may be 
asked, a better basis at that time in his career for later educa- 
tional and administrative work? 

15. When he came somewhat unexpectedly to Washington in 
the autumn of 1906 to accept a supervising principalship, he was 
in his twenty-eighth year. He came reluctantly — to some extent 
in order to obtain sundry advantages here for his family. Ap- 
pointed in 1907 by Superintendent W. E. Chancellor as Assistant 
Superintendent of the colored schools, he has helped in the direct- 
ing of education in Washington for twelve years. What, it may 
be asked, has been characteristic of his educational policy? 

16. The answer to this question should be based upon an ex- 
amination, such as we have made, of Mr. Bruce's annual state- 
ments already in print as well as upon such information or im- 
pressions as the testimony yields. The key-note to that policy 
is to be found in the effort tto emphasize industrial and business 
training. In this connection Mr. Bruce has sought to convert 
the Armstrong Manual Training School into a technical high 
school. He has been insistent in his demand that at least one 
industrial course should be required of every pupil in the Dunbar 
High School. Two vocational schools, for boys and girls re- 
spectively, were established on the basis of his recommendation 
with the approval of the Superintendent of Schools and the 
Board of Education. When, by reason of the demand for labor 
which the war situation brought about, the numbers of trade 
pupils were seriously reduced, the two vocational schools w^ere 
re-adjusted so as to permit the incorporation of pre- vocational 
classes. Thus the way was opened to boys and girls at an earlier 
age to gain the benefits of industrial training, whatever work 
in later years they might have to do. 

17. Results in edflcational policies reveal themselves slowly. 
It was not an easy task for the Assistant Superintendent to ob- 
tain promptly either equipment or teachers adequately trained 
to handle the limited equipment. The noticeable reduction in the 
number of pupils in vocational work during the last five years 
is not peculiar to Washington — the fact has been observed else- 
where. Teachers trained in the older methods are not quick or 
ready to adopt recent methods. And parents, unable to detect 
easily or promptly the advantages which they had hoped to see, 

8 



are prone to condemn the schooLs and the authorities behind 
them. Nevertheless we believe that Mr. Bruce has worked sys- 
tematically along lines of industrial training and education that 
are in accord with the more progressive ideals of the day. His 
plan has aided many a boy and girl to become useful members 
of society. 

18. It would be absurd to maintain that Mr. Bruce has origin- 
ated the vacation, the night, or the summer schools, or indeed 
any other of the recently approved projects connected with pub- 
lic education. All that a reasonable public should expect is that 
its educational directors should keep in close touch with im- 
provements which have been tested. There need be no doubt 
that Mr. Bruce has helped to awaken interest in the night 
schools ; he has encouraged on the part of teachers work in 
various summer schools ; he has strengthened interest in vaca- 
tion schools for boys and girls; he has been watchful over the 
developing significance of the so-called Junior High School ideal. 
All along, however, he has been dependent for even partial ac- 
complishments in these varying directions upon the understand- 
ing and sympathetic aid of superintendents and boards of edu- 
cation. 

19. That Mr. Bruce has sought for well-trained teachers out- 
side the immediate scope of Washington's training schools, is, 
in the judgment of your committee, altogether to his credit. 
Necessarily this policy reduces somewhat the opportunities of 
those trained here to obtain places in these schools. The plan 
opens the way for differences of opinion in individual cases; 
and it raises numerous questions, not easy by any means to de- 
cide, regarding the whole policy of appointments and examina- 
tions for appointments. We shall content ourselves by suggest- 
ing that it merits the constant watchfulness of the Board of 
Education with a view to progress in the direction of just and 
fair provisions for as many locally trained and competent teach- 
ers as the system can take care of. 

20. In concluding our consideration of this second phase of 
the investigation (paragraphs 11-19, inclusive), all the evidence 
available indicates that Mr. Bruce is a very well educated man, 
sufficiently equipped to have organized and sustained for the 
colored schools a progressive educational policy during twelve 
years. 

9 



IV 

21. Your committee has been at some pains to study the entire 
period of Mr. Bruce's administration of the District Schools. 
It should be remembered in this connection that whatever rec- 
ommendations he has made, all such recommendations have been 
subject to the approval at one time or another of four Superin- 
tendents in close cooperation with Boards of Education whose 
personnel has changed as a rule to some extent once a year. 
Whatever recommendations and reflections he has made, in- 
volving changes or alterations of policy, and usually directly 
concerning the teaching force — we have in mind such subjects 
as the normal school, appointments, dismissals, transfers, im- 
provements in scholarship among teachers, alterations in sal- 
aries, the Junior High School opportunity, pre-vocational and vo- 
cational schools, etc. — are usually contingent upon the judg- 
ment of his superiors. This aspect of the situation is called at 
the outset to your attention with no intention on our part of 
reflecting upon any special Superintendent or upon any Board. 

22. If during the last five years — since the great war began — 
there appears to have been more criticism of Mr. Bruce than 
there was previous to that time, the fact may be partly accounted 
for by reason of the comparatively slow improvement in profes- 
sional salaries — the all but stationary income of teachers during 
an epoch of rapid increase in the cost of living. But restlessness 
among teachers in the white schools has been rather more notice- 
able, we think, than among those in the colored schools. 

23. A more notable factor underlying the colored school situa- 
tion is the narrow range in which ambitious teachers are placed. 
A comparatively wide range of opportunity lies open to the white 
teacher — as a rule he or she may abandon teaching and still be 
reasonably sure of obtaining congenial and lucrative employ- 
ment. Here in Washington the highest ambition of many a col- 
ored boy and girl — the acme of hope — is a position in the schools. 
The profession sets a stamp upon its followers, offers some de- 
gree of social prestige and of outlook. Doubtless there are other 
openings. Boys may become mechanics, clerks, or farmers; 
girls may become milliners or seamstresses; comparatively few, 
although an increasing number, are likely to find openings as 
stenographers. Some will obtain college degrees, return here 

10 



and enter the professions, or go elsewhere. The larger ma- 
jority will drop into various groups of laborers. But what we 
wish to emphasize is this: competition among those desiring to 
teach in the colored schools of the District is and has been for 
years very intense. Sound as the spirit of competition may be, 
it affords a basis for much criticism if, by force of circumstances 
and for wise reasons, it is checked, hampered, or re-directed. 
No predecessor of Mr. Bruce was free from criticism, however 
undeserved. Much of the criticism levelled at Mr. Bruce has 
impressed your committee as readily to be accounted for along 
the line of such general factors as have been set forth. Some of 
it is essentially petty. Now and then Mr. Bruce may have over- 
looked the strict significance and importance of a principle as 
the proper guide to action when personal fancies were more or 
less impelling. But on the whole the evidence reveals that the 
period of twelve years has been marked by progress in adminis- 
trative effectiveness. 

24. We shall not ignore a charge against the Assistant Super- 
intendent that is somewhat recurrent in the record. Sometimes 
made by witnesses inclined otherwise to be friendly to him, it 
usually occurred in connection with questions directed toward 
the determination of administrative fitness. It was expressed 
by those who appeared to have no motive to attack his char- 
acter. It was said that he lacked force. No doubt diplomacy 
under difficult circumstances of administrative direction has its 
rightful place. But at times direct, frank, and decisive language 
and action are the only justifiable mode of procedure. Instances 
occur in the record where it could be shown, we think, that Mr. 
Bruce, anxious to safeguard feelings, has been overcautious, 
slow, and quite too vague in making decisive statements. This 
fault on his part tended occasionally to arouse criticism and some 
degree of antagonism. That it became sufficiently pronounced 
to raise comm.ent has amounted to a misfortune to him, to the 
schools, and to the public whom he was appointed to serve. 
While in your committee's judgment the criticism has a partial 
basis in his character — his eagerness to please everybody — it 
should not prevent the Board from trying to remedy it. We 
believe that the Board can do so, for regarding his fine general 
ability we have no doubt. 

11 



25. The Assistant Superintendent has tried, we think, to live 
up to the spirit as well as to the letter of the Organic Act of 
1906. Therein it is expressly provided that he shall have "sole 
charge of all teachers, classes, and schools in which colored chil- 
dren are taught" (sec. 3) . He is, however, subject — as we think 
that he should be — to the Superintendent of the entire system 
who, under the law, has final direction of educational policy, can 
recommend dismissal, and holds the qualified veto power. The 
phrase **sole charge" implies large responsibility. It is to some 
extent customary, we are informed, for vetoes of Mr. Bruce's 
recommendations to go unrecorded. We should like to suggest 
the advisability to the Board of having all vetoes duly placed on 
record in order hereafter to have brief but explicit evidence 
of such matters. Our single recommendation, made for the pur- 
pose of aiding toward better co-ordination of the work of the 
system, is to have the Assistant Superintendent of the colored 
schools asked regularly into Board sessions. Several of our most 
discerning witnesses approved of the plan. It would affoi^d Mr. 
Bruce opportunities of taking part in discussions and of bringing 
directly to the Board such recommendations as in his eyes seem 
to be of importance. It would not, we think, weaken the authority 
of the Superintendent. Had Mr. Bruce been privileged during 
the past year or so to sit with the Board, we venture to think that 
solution of problems of special interest to the colored schools and 
citizens would have been facilitated. 

V 

26. The facts in the Moens case, so far as those facts can be 
known from existing scattered sources of written and recorded 
oral evidence — including essential portions of the trial proceed- 
ings — have been studied by your committee. The chief figure, 
H. M. Bernelot Moens, an unworthy citizen of Holland, would in 
all probability have been convicted — as he was on April 1, 1919 — 
had he never been given permission to enter the schools. This 
permission, however, was formally granted to him in October, 
1916, and again in May, 1917, by Dr. John Van Schaick, Jr., then 
President of the Board of Education, on the basis of statements 
as to his standing as a man of character and as a scientist which 
came directly from the Dutch Minister resident in Washington 
at the Netherlands Legation. 

12 



27. At a later time, suspicion having been aroused in the 
minds of several observant teachers, this foreigner's privilege to 
enter the schools was limited in scope through Mr. Bruce's ef- 
forts — the Miner Normal School was closed to him, and he was 
not to be admitted to any other school to examine children with- 
out a written order from the Superintendent. No written order, 
it should be added, was ever asked or thereafter issued. If he 
entered school buildings, he did so just as any American citizen 
might enter — possibly attending some social gatherings. He 
entered no classrooms, so far as we can discover. Up to the time 
of his arrest, on Friday, October 25, 1918, no parent is known to 
have made a complaint against this man to the school authorities. 

28. For a year or so previous to his arrest, this foreigner had 
aroused the interest of the Bureau of Investigation in the De- 
partment of Justice. As it happened, the chairman of your com- 
mittee, then in the Bureau, had access to the facts of Moens's 
entire career in the United States and elsewhere. These included 
such incidents as could be obtained from Mr. Bruce's and the 
Superintendent's respective offices. At what was deemed the 
proper time by the Federal authorities, the Board of Education 
and the Superintendent of Schools were informed of all the facts 
and features in the evidence which could in any way concern 
them. 

29. There was a third factor in the situation — the Federal 
District Attorney's office which ultimately brought Moens to trial 
on March 25, 1919, and prosecuted him. Together over many 
months Bureau officials, the District Attorney and his assistants, 
and the Board of Education cooperated with a view to convict 
this man. At no stage of the effort did any one of these three 
factors overlook the importance of working to protect the wel- 
fare of pupils, teachers, and the general public. 

30. A single teacher had been guilty of the gravest indiscre- 
tion in permitting herself to become interested in the alleged 
scientific work of Moens. Doubtless she aided him in ways to 
some extent unknown to school authorities. Had these ways 
been known, it is improbable that they could have been justified. 
But that there was a group of "Moens teachers" — men or women 
in the schools knowingly aiding this man in wrong directions — 

13 



is, in the light of all the evidence, wholly unsubstantiated. No 
intimation to that effect has ever come from any reliable source. 

31. From October, 1918, to the close of the trial on April 1, 
1919, the Board of Education was fully aware of the importance 
of the case to the Federal authorities. Formulating its policy 
on the basis of careful advice and assured that the welfare of the 
schools would not be endangered by waiting, the Board decided 
to retain Charlotte E. Hunter for the time being. She was not 
suspended, nor was she asked to resign. Your committee finds 
no grounds for thinking that R. C. Bruce was derelict in his ad- 
ministrative duties in the matter. Keeping in mind the import- 
ance of aiding in the conviction of Moens, the Board assumed 
entire responsibility for its policy under the circumstances as 
just set forth. 

32. Driven to the conviction early in May, 1919, that he should 
adopt a direct method of protest and effort against persons seek- 
ing to damage his reputation and character as a public official, 
the Assistant Superintendent took part in the formulation of the 
so-called "slush-fund" letter — a design originating from a group 
of teachers exasperated by violent attacks directed toward ma- 
ligning them and their superior officer. Some days before its 
existence was known to the public, this letter was brought to the 
attention of the Board of Education by Mr. Bruce himself. 
Promptly summoned into the presence of the Board, the Assist- 
ant Superintendent was carefully questioned regarding the whole 
matter and duly reprimanded by the Board for indiscretion. 
At once he ceased any effort to punish his enemies in what the 
Board considered a mistaken direction. At a later time, in June 
following, the Assistant Corporation Counsel gave an opinion, 
made public through the Board, to the effect that Mr. Bruce had 
violated no law in acting in the manner stated. 

33. Taking advantage of the disturbed state of public feeling 
that resulted from the Moens trial, a combination known as the 
Parents' League came into being in March or early April, 1919. 
Soon after the chief culprit in the case had been dealt with by the 
court, and the single teacher unfortunately involved in the 
meshes of the case had left the public schools, this combination 
set about disposing of the Assistant Superintendent of Colored 
Schools. It encouraged popular gatherings and aroused these 

14 



gatherings into some degree of fury against the school authori- 
ties, in particular against R. C. Bruce, by voicing all sorts of 
ugly rumors. While justice may have been the object of some 
portion of the League, the methods adopted to reach that desir- 
able end could never meet v^^ith the approval of respectable and 
law-abiding citizens. 

34. In May this combination presented to the Board of Educa- 
tion a petition, asking for the immediate removal of R. C. Bruce. 
The nature of the petition may be judged from the following 
analysis : * 

o. The petition carries just over 2,000 signatures. 

b. Many signatures liave been written by one and the same hand. 

c. Instances of three and four names from the same family group could 
be easily cited. 

d. Nine-tenths of the signatures are those of women and girls. 

e. Although the combination purports to be a "Parents' " League, the pe- 
tition carries many names of unmarried persons. 

/. A good many colored clergymen have been behind the movement. But 
such leading men as Bishop I. N. Ross, Rev. Walter H. Brooks, Rev. F. I. A. 
Bennett, Rev. Francis J. Grimke, Rev. Thomas J. Brown, Rev. Oscar L. 
Mitchell, Rev. W. J. Howard, and Rev. M. D. Norman have had nothing 
to do with the Parents' League in this matter. 

Claiming over and over again that it represented at least 
20,000 citizens, and that its petition to the Board carried that 
number of names, it worked systematically against the school 
authorities. If any citizens have doubts as to whether the com- 
bination succeeded in its threats to reduce the numbers of colored 
children this autumn in the public schools, they may be informed 
that the September figures for 1919 reveal 16,168 pupils enrolled 
in the Tenth-Thirteenth Divisions as compared with 14,195 pu- 
pils just a year ago — a difference of 1,973 in the way of increase. 
Urged as an expression of public opinion, the petition appears, 
in the judgment of your committee, to be quite worthless. Fur- 
thermore, such testimony regarding the Parents' League as your 
committee has gained, gives clear indication that almost all of the 
colored citizens of Washington who have children in the public 
schools have sufficient confidence in the judgment of the Board of 
Education to accept as conclusive the Board's estimate of the 
character and the educational and administrative qualifications 
of R. C. Bruce. 

15 



35. In the course of its effort to reach sound conclusions based 
on extensive testimony and prolonged study of that testimony, 
your committee has kept in mind the fact that the public schools 
have been established by the people for the benefit of their chil- 
dren. Whatever the will of the people may be, that will con- 
cerning the schools should be expressed through the medium of 
your official voice. The Board of Education must be responsive 
to the people's wishes, for to the people it is responsible. The 
Board's authority cannot be delegated, nor can its conclusions 
be properly questioned except as provided by law. 

36. In finding Roscoe C. Bruce fitted by education, training, 
and experience to serve as Assistant Superintendent of Schools, 
in approving his character as a man and — with slight qualifica- 
tions — his past work as director of education and school admin- 
istration in the colored schools of the District, we submit our 
conclusions to you without hesitation. We hope that, after con- 
sideration, you will give them the sanction of your final authority. 

Respectfully submitted, 

H. Barrett Learned, 

Chairman of Special Committee. 

CoRALiE Franklin Cook. 



Note: A Minority Report, prepared and read on October 22 by the 
third member of the Special Committee, Mr. Fountain Peyton, was duly 
filed with the secretary of the Board of Education. 



16 



IN THE MATTER OF THE INVESTIGATION 07 THF. 
EDUCATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCY 
OF MR. ROSCOE C. BRUCE, ASSISTANT SUPERINTEN- 
DENT IN CHARGE OF THE COLORED SCHOOLS OF THE 
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Board of e<iMX84-.«n. 



Note 1. — Three thousand copies of the majority report of the special 
committee have been ordered printed by the Board of Education at public 
expense ; but for some reason the printing of this minority report has been 
neglected. In order that the public may hear both sides of the case, The 
Parents' League, an organization having a membership of twenty thousand 
colored citizens of the District of Columbia, has printed this report at its 
own expense. 

Note 2. — -The witnes.ses who testified in this matter are largely teachers 
and officials of the public schools of the District of Columbia. They ap- 
peared and testified under a promise made by the Board of Education that 
their names would not be published. However, their names and the 
positions they hold in our school system are set forth in the complete record 
of the testimony held by the Board of Education. 



REPORT OF FOUNTAIN PEYTON, 
OF THE COMIMTTEE APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF 
EDUCATION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TO CON- 
DUCT THE ABOVE-NAMED INVESTIGATION 



To the Board of Education of the District of Columbia, 
Ladies and Gentlemen: 

On the 30th day of July, 1919, on verbal motion made 
in conference of the Board, by Mr. H. B. Learned, vice-presi- 
dent, it was resolved by the Board to appoint a committee to 
investigate the educational and administrative efficiency of Mr. 
Roscoe C. Bruce, assistant superintendent in charge of the 
colored schools of the District of Columbia. Thereupon the 
president of the Board, Rev. John van Schaick, Jr., appointed 
as members of said committee, Mr. H. B. Learned, chairman, 
Mrs. Coralie F. Cook and Fountain Peyton. Said committee 
was then and there instructed by the Board to hold sessions 
in private from time to time and to summon persons in the 
school system having close relation to, and such contact with, 
1 



Mr. Bruce, and other persons from among citizens having in- 
telligent interest in the schools, to appear before said commit- 
tee to testify to the educational and administrative efficiency 
of Mr. Bruce. It was then and there also resolved that the 
private nature of the investigation and the limitations on wit- 
nesses should not be embraced in the written resolution offered 
in the public meeting of the same date of which written reso- 
lution appears of record in the minutes of July 1919. 
It was understood that the committee was to ascertain 
so far as it could the educational and administrative efficiency 
of said Bruce from said witnesses and not otherwise ; and that 
said investigation was not to be in any sense a trial ; nor wa& 
it understood that Mr. Bruce was to be called before the com- 
mittee in support of his efficiency, or to explain away, or de- 
fend himself against, any of the matters which might be tes- 
tified to by the witnesses. ' 

Pursuant to the instructions of the Board as aforesaid, 
sessions were held, to wit : August 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, and 14 
inclusive, the sessions beginning each day at 4:30 o'clock p. m, 
and concluding about 6 :30 p. m. 

At the outset, the writer of this report feels it incumbent 
upon him to say that in the investigation of the fitness of a per- 
son to occupy the office of assistant superintendent in a great 
school system, the evidence should show fitness affirmatively 
and beyond question. Furthermore, it seems only fair to state 
that the administrative head of a school system who entered 
upon his duties without undergoing some prescribed test as to 
fitness, and whose fitness has been continuously questioned for 
many years, should not be confirmed, if the evidence of quali- 
fied and credible witnesses leaves his efficiency in a state of 
doubt. 



I. EDUCATIONAL EFFICIENCY 

It is evident to all that in any investigation by the Board 
of Education pertaining to Mr. Bruce all points must of ne- 
cessity be considered from the standpoint of his office, the as- 
sistant superintendency. With the question of his general 
educational fitness per se, it is not the committee's business to 
be concerned. What it is the business of the committee to 
weigh is whether or not his educational qualifications meas- 
ure up to the demands requisite for an office which is to for- 
mulate policy and procedure for a great city school systsm,, 
and to guide, direct and inspire teachers therein. 

It might be well at this juncture to note some of the fun- 
damental courses which recognized normal schools set up as 
necessary for those aspiring to work in the educational field. 
Biological study in some form, psychology, principles of edu- 
cation, child study, history of education, classroom manage- 
ment, school administration, general method and special meth- 
od in relation to some definite subject, as some of these courses. 
A perusal of the courses of study of recognized normal schools 
will bear out this contention. 



Now, just what definite training to create educational effi- 
ciencj'- for the office of assistant superintendent has Mr. Bruce 
had? A consideration of a transcript of an official record of 
Mr. Bruce's course at Harvard University is found on pages 
499 and 500. This was offered by a witness opposed to Mr. 
Bruce in the form of a photographic copy of the original. What 
is shown by this, the only valid and authoritative record the 
committee has? 

It shows that Mr. Bruce took but one course in education ; 
The general nature of this course is set forth in another place 
in this report ; namely, Education 3, a course requiring two or 
three hours a week. (See also page 373, Harvard University 
Catalogue for 1901-'2.) 

The record further shows that he has had no training in 
the field of biological work. This is still further confirmed 
by the admission of Mr. Bruce in his testimony wherein he re- 
plied to a statement by Mr. Learned; to wit, "I observe that 
there is no pure science in those courses" — (meaning Mr. 
Bruces's courses as shown in some record before the chair- 
man) — "is that true?" Mr. Bruce replied: "Yes, sir; no pure 
science." (Page 643, record.) 

Now, how can one be in a position to undestand the great 
living, vital, human problems confronting the office of a school 
administrator without m study of life — biology, in short, which 
is the basis of all these problems and indeed of all education ? 

Furthermore, even the value of Mr. Bruce's college course 
in psychology is negated from an educator's standpoint by 
this lack of basis for psychological study. 

As to classroom management, history of education, gene- 
ral method, and special method in relation to some definite sub- 
jects, he is absolutely lacking in training proven both by the 
records and his own testimony. Nowhere has he ever pur- 
sued any of these most essential studies. Nor does anything 
authoritative show that he supplemented this lack of training 
at Harvard by any graduate work in education. 
V^ These facts establish conclusively that he started at the 
' apex in his attempt to espouse the profession of education. He 
entered unqualified professionally and consequently v/as 
doom^ed to be a theorist, a dilettante, an upstairs man, a pre- 
sumed and presuming leader, minus the professional qualifi- 
cations of the hundreds of elementary school teachers who are 
/farcically forced to look to him as their educational lodestarj 

In connection with his educational efficiency, it is also in- 
cumbent upon the committee to note whether or not Mr. Bruce 
has had sufficient experience in classroom work to educatp him 
in any small way as a compensation for his lack in founda- 
tional professional training. 

In the testimony of Mr. Bruce, on page 649, he states as 
follows as to the character of his work at Tuskegee: "That 
was essentially administrative." That is, he began his pro- 
fessional career as an alleged administrative officer and was 
of necessity (TLot grounded in any predominating extent in class- 
room procedure, , And this continued during his four years 
at Tuskegee, 



Although Mr. Bruce claims that he taught classes — not 

that he was a regular classroom teacher — in educational theory, 
in arithmetic, and English, yet he could not and did not pro- 
duce any record to show how many hours he put in ; nor does 
he produce any records to show ; nor did he claim, that he was 
ever a regular classroom teacher, daily meeting classes in cer- 
tain subjects and doing definite, specific, continuous work in 
any branch. (See pages 650 and 651.) 

The hit-and-miss procedure of experimentative teaching 
which he as an administrative officer was privileged to do for 
certain periods, or in his rounds of inspection, if he made any, 
would again be but the work of a theorist and faddist, and 
would amount to practically nothing of education for one hav- 
ing no theory basis of teaching on which to establish classroom 
points of attack; and it would not compensate, even in any 
small way, for the lack of foundational educational training. 

The writer of this report is forced to these conclusions by 
the logic of the question of educational training and by the 
testimony which substantially back up these claims. 

In conclusion on this point, the writer is forced to record 
that, after four years of upstairs work at Tuskegee, lacking in 
definite, regular, consistent classroom teaching in any subject, 
according to the statements of Mr. Bruce himself, and this fol- 
lowing entirely faulty theoretical preparation for the profes- 
sion of an educator, Mr. Bruce came to Washington, D. C, 

j served as a supervising principal for one year, and then was 

/ made assistant superintendent. 

'- Again, the records and testimony conclusively establish 

that he has never taught a day as a regular classroom teacher 
in any public school system. 

In the light of these facts, it is only possible and reasona- 
ble to assume that in so far as his educational efficiency for the 
office of the assistant superintendency is concerned, — the only 
problem of educational efficiency as to Mr. Bruce which it was 
the duty of this committee to decide — he is wholly lacking and 
is completely inefficient. 



II. ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCY 



As to Mr. Bruce's administrative efficiency, the testimony 
establishes direct, original administrative policy on his part 
in but three instances : the establishment of the Street and 
Cardoza Vocational Schools; the establishment of pre-voca- 
tional schools for street and Cardoza ; and the establishment 
of a post graduate course at the colored Normal School. The 
writer of this report says "direct, original administrative po- 
licy" because on cross examination none of the other claims 
for personal origin on the part of Mr. Bruce in reference to 
the administrative effecting of numerous educational policies 
alleged to have been the result of his activity, was established. 

As to the O Street and Cardoza Vocational schools, the 
testimony tends to show that as such they failed. 

4 



First of all, these schools accepted for entrance pupils of 
fourteen years and over, who had completed successfully five 
grades of the elementary schools. It is so manifestly impossi- 
ble to give a trade training to pupils so lacking in the rudi- 
ments of an English education that the statement of the fact 
ii the statement for an axiom. 

As a result of these insufficient entrance requirements, 
the type of a great majority of the students who enterd these 
schools is easily understood. It is a fact that all those belong- 
ing to what might be termed "the intellectual down-and-out,'' 
those lacking in definite purpose, those who presented aggra- 
vated disciplinary problems, and not particularly those who 
had any special aptitude fitness fo rany trade, were in a 
sort of hotchpotch way allowed to congregate in these vocation- 
al schools. 

As further evidence of the lack of administrative wisdom 
and judgment — in short as evidence of administrative ineffi- 
ciency — one has but to recall that the first principal of the 
Street Vocational School never taught a day as a regular day 
school teacher and was graduated into this principalship from 
the position of clerk to the assistant superintendent of schools. 

Now, when it became evident to the parents of the children 
who v/ere studying in these schools that they were not receiv- 
ing an education that vs^as fitting them for the actual needs in 
their lines of work in the world, th enrollment of these schools 
as vocational schools shrunk so that they had to assume sud- 
denly a pre-vocational status to escape annihilation. 

Then again, vvith the beginning of the second semester of 
1916-'17, in a vain effort to stem the tide of failure, the 
Street school had been made a girls' vocational school and Car- 
doza a boys' vocational school. 

It has been claimed by Mr. (see page 64) , a 

witness who favored Mr. Bruce, and by Mr. Bruce himself, 
that the failure of these schools was due to the war. They 
cannot mean the war beginning with the entrance of the Uni- 
ted States in 1917, because the following tables disprove that 
claim, by showing that the destruction and failure of Mr. 
Bruce's vocational administrative plan antedates April, 1917. 

Jan. 1916. June, 1916. 

M. F. T. M. F. T. 

Whole No. Enr 188 296 484 192 292 484 

No. on roll at close.. 176 244 420 173 243 416 
Av. Attendance... ...156.0 224.4 380.4 160.4 225.5 385.9 

Av. No. Belonging 169.9 242.9 412.8 175.2 247.2 422.4 

Jan., 1917. June, 1917. 

M. F. T. M. F. T. 

Whole No. Enr 98 208 306 86 167 253 

No on roll at close 86 153 239 64 124 188 

Av. Attendance .:. 79.3 147.7 227.0 61.7 129.1 190.8 

Av. No. Belonging... ..83.5 164.2 247.7 70.5 144.2 214.7 

NOTE: Table abbreviated from the Board of Education 
Reports for 1915-16 and 1916-17; statistics as to attendance 
in colored schools. 
5 



From the above it is plain that, whereas the vocational 
schools, with a total of 484 pupils, were numerically large as 
to the whole number of pupils enrolled for the second samester, 
June 1916, there was, by the end of the first semester, Jan- 
uary 31, 1917, more than two months before the United States 
entered the war, but a whole number of 306 enrolled, showing a 
shrinkage of 178. Furthermore, in the very next month, Feb- 
ruary, the first month of the semester ending June 1917, the 
total number was not more than 253, thus presenting an addi- 
tional shrinkage of 53 pupils, making a grand total of 231 
pupils lost completely for enrollment purposes between June 
1916 and the semester beginning February 1917. All of this 
antedates the entrance of the United States into the war. In 
addition to this, the above table shows that the vocational 
schools closed the first semester Jan. 31, 1917, with 177 less 
pupils actually present than in the month of June 1916, which 
marked the close of the second semester of that year. The 
last named figure also antedates the war by a few months. 

Now, a survey of the records of attendance for the entire 
life of the vocational schools show that the year 1915-16 is the 
high-water mark of enrollment and attendance for the voca- 
tional schools, and that the sharp decline as above indicated 
marks the beginning of the end — an end which preceded the 
war and could not thus be proven to have been caused by that 
war. 

Of course those testifying could not have meant the time of 
the European war — from 1914 on — because statistics show 
that vocational attendance was not on the wane from Septem- 
ber 1914 to June 1916. 

Thus is shown the fallacy of the cause-to-effect reasoning 

on the part of Messrs. and Bruce as to the 

failure o:^ vocational attendance ; and the causes based on other 
testimony and urged by the writer of this report remain as 
\alid. 

When the number of teachers for these vocational branches 
is considered : 

1913-14 No. 14 
1914-15 No. 13 
1915-16 No. 18 
1917-18 No. 20 
1916-17 No. 20 

NOTE : See the Board of Education Reports. 

And when the following cost of buildings is considered : 

SITE BUILDING TOTAL 

Cardoza $38,708.21 $38,708.21 

O Street $11,996.40 $41,983.42 $53,979.82 



These figures include two 
princiDals. 



Grand Total $92,688.03 

When the above are considered and the cost of equipment 
and repairs is figured out and added in, it will be seen easily'' 
that something between a quarter and a half million of dollars 
at unreasonably high per capita rates has been dumped into 
types of schools that failed because of poor administrative 

6 



judgment on the part of Mr. Bruce, the assistant superinten- 
dent. And this was an unwarranted expenditure of public 
funds. 

As another evidence of wasteful administration of funds in 
an endeavor to keep alive vocational failures, the records show 
the following : 



2nd. Sem., June 1917 1st Sem. Jan. 1918. 2nd Sem. June, '18 

M. F. T. M. F. T. M. F. T. 

Av. No. 
Belonging 

70.5 144.2 214.7 32.4 109.1 141.5 27.5 91.6 119.1 

No. of 
Teachers.* 20 19 20 

♦Including two principals. 



NOTE : See the Board of Education Reports for the years 
above specified. ; 



Thus for the half-year from Feb. 1917 to June 1917, exclud- 
ing two pricipals, who do not teach classes in vocational 
schools, an average of one teacher for between each 11 and 12 
pupils is seen; for the half year from Sptember 1917 to Feb- 
ruary 1918, a teacher for between 8 and 9 pupils ; and for the 
half-year from February 1918 to June 1918, a teacher for be- 
tween each 6 and 7 pupils. Note then also that with a rapidly 
decreasing number of pupils for over a year and a half, there 
was an average of a teacher for no more than between each 
eleven and twelve pupils at any time during this period. This 
is indeed too wasteful on its face to need further comment 
Suppose the system went for a year and a half on the basis 
of a teacher for each eleven pupils. How preposterous ! 

Now, as to the pre-vocational schools, they were established 
first of all to conceal from public notice the failure of the voca- 
tional schools. Even Mr. , a most favorable 

witness to Mr Bruce, admits that the pre-vocational schools 
should have been established before the vocational schools. 
(Page 63) This but further corroborates the claim that no 
scientific basis was followed. And then again, as established, 
they reveal a lack of careful, scientific, defensible adminis- 
trative policy. The graded schools are not sufficiently con- 
tiguous to make the interchange of classes feasible without 
loss of time in transit and without an upsetting of the normal 
equilibrium of the graded school classes involved. This last 
upset is further heightened by the fact that in one section of 
the city — the O street section — girls only are taken daily for 
an hour and a half from the regular classes, and in the Cardo- 
za section, boys only are taken. These sets of schools feeding 
the vocational schools in question are thus in constant upset 
and mental turmoil. 

In support of the above claims the following excerpts are 
cited as copies of documentary evidence. 
7 



NoveinbGr G, 1919. 
Llemorandun xor o^":or"ntsndeVt Thir-ston. 
I Ij2^ to call attention to tlie fact that the O Street Voca- 
tlcnri School for Girb with its twelve teachers has a present 
•onrollnicnt cf cnly -10 pupih, there being today only 23. This 
cituatlon call 3, of course, for immediate action. 

In view cf the successful experience in the experiment in 
prc70caticnal training at the Cardoza Vocational School for 
Boys, I would earnsetly suggest the adoption of a similar plan 
at O Street. 

Respectfully submitted, 

(Signed) ROSCOE C. BRUCE. 



(From the Same Letter) 
I should be glad to put this plan into operation on Monday 
morning, November 11, if at all possible 



(Page 2 of the Same Letter) 

The pedadogical organization of shop exercises for prevoca- 
tional classes is a definite problem whcih each one of the O 
Street teachers is called upon to solve. 

At the end of the school year syllabi will be prepared in each 
subject upon the basis of these daily rcords of work done. 



NOTE— 

I should earnestly advise that over-age girls in the fifth 
grades of the buildings indicated above, be admitted to 
prevocational classes at Street upon suggestion by their 
graded school teachers or at request of their parents. 



Besides, where is there anything rational or anything but 
the makeshift, the superficial and the politic in a move that 
discriminates against the boys in one section — the O Street 
section — and the girls in another section — the Cardoza section 
— when both sexes are on the same common social level, have 
the same general problems, and spring from a common environ- 
ment. The entire general administrative policy of Mr. Bruce 
in this connection has been a careless makeshift, and an un- 
warranted one. 

In conclusion on these three points relating to administrative 
efficiency, the writer directs attention to the post graduate 
course established through the administrative activity of Mr. 
Bruce at the old Normal School No. 2. 

In his policy of administering this course, alleged by Mr. 
Bruce to be designed for the infiltration of superiorily 
equipped teachers into the grammar schools, he effected a 
deadline of promotion, the fourth grade, for Normal School 
graduates only ; made a retroactive ruling, discounted merit, 
superior qualities, and service, was wholly un-American, and 
so excited the rank and file of his elementary school teachers 

8 



frorxi the fourth grade down, that they in indignation rose up 
in mass and memorialized the Board of Education ; whicii body 
in turn showed its realization of an administrative fiasco on 
the part of Mr. Bruce by ordering the course discontinued. 

Thus in a brief and cursory way the writer of this report 
has laid before the Board an analysis based on testimony 
founded on facts and figures in reference to the only three in- 
stances of direct, original administrative policy established in 
the testimony. The analysis clearly shows failure in each and 
all of the three cases. 

In connection with administrative efficiency pure and simple, 
it is also interesting in conclusion to note the fact that of the 
testimony of twenty-one school employees, although the exami- 
nation gave full opportunity for such showing, the testimony 
of eleven failed to show that Mr. Bruce had been helpful, stim- 
ulating, suggestive, and constructively active in his supervision 
in reference to them. 

Among this number it is still further interesting to note that 
no one of the three supervising principals summoned estab- 
lished this type of helpfulness on the part of Mr. Bruce toward 

him or her. Even Miss , whose testimony in the 

main seems to be favorable to Mr. Bruce, is forced to admit the 
following (See page 201) : 

Mr. Peyton: "What suggestion ever came to you from Mr. 
Bruce that has assisted you in your work and promoted the 
usefulness of the schools under you?" 

Miss : "Well, at this very moment, I cannot 

think of any, Mr. Peyton.'' 

Furthermore, Miss , principal of S r 

School, states as follows (page 555) : "W^ell, Mr. Bruce has 
not been in my building for three years or more." 



III. CHARACTER AS RELATED TO ADMINISTRATIVE 

EFFICIENCY. 

It was stated more than once upon authority of the Board 
that the moral character of Mr. Bruce, as moral character is 
commonly understood, would not be inquired into by the com- 
mittee. For this reason interrogatories as to his moral charac- 
ter were not made a feature in the examinations; but it be- 
came apparent at the very beginning that integrity in a nar- 
rower sense was so involved in explaining his administration 
that testimony to this phase of his moral character could not 
be excluded. Again, it was quite clear that his administrative 
efficiency was also inseparably interlinked with sincerity, truth 
and veracity. It is inconceivable that there could be coopera- 
tion, harmony, confidence and esprit de corps where this indis- 
pensable element of character is wanting in the chief adminis- 
trative officer. 

What does the testimony show to be the facts in the case as 
to the relation between the administrative inefficiency and the 
lack of truth, veracity and sincerity on the part of the colored 
assistant superintendent ? 
9 



At the very outset it seems wise to consider that part of the 
testimony in which Mr. Bruce speaks as to his educational 
qualifications. Has Mr. Bruce told us the truth about his 
college training? If he has not, he not only admits his want of 
preparation, but also corroborates his widespread reputation 
for untruthfulness and lack of veracity and sincerity. On 
pages 647 and 648, he tells us that he pursued three distinct 
courses in education at Harvard : first, history of education 
under Mr. Norton; second, a course in educational theory 
under Professor Hanus, in which he developed his own special 
point of view in reference to educational values ; third, "I took 
also with Professor Hanus a course in organization and ad- 
ministration of city school systems in particular." Mr. 
Learned here inquired if the latter course were a half-course. 
Mr. Bruce replied that his impression was that it was a course 
lasting for the entire year. 

Now, the official transcript of Mr. Bruce's record at Harvard 
shows that Mr. Bruce took but one course in education ; to 
wit : Education 3, a year course, requiring two hours per week 
with an optional third hour at the pleasure of the instructor. 
This course was primarily for graduates and dealt with the 
organization and management of public schools and academies. 
It consisted of lectures, discussions and reports (See Harvard 
Catalogue 1901-02, page 372, Education 3.) Mr. Paul Hanus 
in reply to a letter from Mrs. Cook, dated August 11th, 1919, 

makes the following statement: " During 

his senior year, he was a student in my course in school admin- 
istration." (See also photographic copy of official record of 
courses pursued by Mr. Bruce at Harvard, as transcribed in 
the record, pages 499 to 501, top.) 

Thus it is conclusively established that Mr. Bruce has delib- 
erately falsified in his statement concerning the courses pur- 
sued in education at Harvard. 

Again, on page 769, et seq., is found Exhibit 1, which pur- 
ports to give a partial list of courses pursued by R. C. Bruce 
when a student at Harvard. This statement, however, is not 
vouched for by anyone, although the assumption is that it was 
prepared by Mr. Bruce. In this alleged record, found on page 
770, it is represented again that Mr. Bruce pursued three dis- 
tinct courses in education when a student at Harvard — a state- 
ment which has already been disproved. Furthermore, the 
authenticity of this unvouched-for record is entirely destroyed 
by a note which says ; to wit : "I have prepared this list without 
the records in hand." This note is significant. Why was it 
prepared without the records in hand ? The records were avail- 
able to the author and should have been consulted. To say that 
the records were not consulted will not excuse the false state- 
ment that Mr. Bruce took three courses in education. In this 
connection it is enlightening, from the standpoint of evidence 
showing a distinct tendency to falsify in the matter of Mr. 
Bruce's equipment in studies along educational lines, to follow 
this matter up further. 

On page 647, Mr. Bruce says: "I took under Mr. Norton a 
course in the history of education." Now, on page 770 the same 

10 



course is referred to as "history of educational theory and 
practice" — Professor Norton. 

On page 647, Mr. Bruce also states as follows : "Under Pro- 
fessor Hanus, I took a course in educational theory, in which 
he developed his own special point of view in reference to edu- 
cational values." 

You will see that Mr. Norton is for no reason changed to 
Professor Norton and the course is changed from Hanus to 
Norton in this brief compass of the testimony. Besides, it is 
a well-known fact that there is such a wide discrepancy be- 
tween the character of work in a course in educational theory, 
presenting the views of the specialist in that field, and the work 
in a course in the principles of education, which might right- 
fully be termed applied psychology, that no one but a person 
both untruthful and ignorant would substitute within such a 
short compass of pages and time, the one for the other and at- 
tribute them as the same to Professor Hanus. By consulting 
the Harvard Catalogue for 1901-02, it will be seen that 
Harvard offers no course in either educational theory or the 
principles of education, under Professor Hanus. By consulting 
770, testimony, and circum .page 372, Harvard Catalogue 
1901-02) . It should be noted also that the Harvard Catalogue 
for 1901-02 shows no course in history of education under Mr. 
Norton. (See page 647, Mr. Bruce's testimony, and circum 
page 372, Harvard Catalogue.) 

As further evidence, the following are additional instances 
from Mr. Bruce's testimony. First, let us observe the case of 
Mr. Madella. Mr. Bruce was displeased with this teacher and 
sent to this teacher at the Armstrong School a postal card 
bearing the polite inscription : "A yellow dog is the lowest 
thing on earth; a knocker is worse than a yellow dog." The 
reception of this card severely woundede the feelings of this 
teacher and provoked considrable comment unfavorable to Mr. 
Bruce, whereupon Mr. Bruce wrote Mr. Madella an apology, 
which, because he deemed it expedient, Mr. Madella accepted. 
Mr. Bruce, who has so much sympathy for humankind, who 
wishes to please everybody, humiliates and wounds this teach- 
er, and then offers a sort of perfunctory apology, not so much 
as a panacea to Mr. Madella's wounded feelings as in an effort 
to protect himself in his official position. In Mr. Bruce's tes- 
timony before the committee he attemtpts to explain away this 
offense. He says that he purchased a number of postal cards 
at Christmas to send to friends; that the offensive card got 
mixed v/ith other cards, and that by mistake he addressed and 
mailed it to Mr. Madella. (See record, page 711.) 

How can any person persuade himself to accept as valid 
any such explanation? Mr. Bruce had signed the card, and 
there was no other explanation he could make which would ac- 
quit him and thereby preserve his official position. 

In rebuttal to Mr. Bruce's statements in his testimony on 
this matter as to how Mr. Madella finally regarded the inci- 
dent, some excerpts are directly hereafter quoted. They are 
from a letter written by his widow, Mrs. F. D. Madella, dated 
September 24, 1919. The original of this letter is in the pos- 
11 



session of the writer of this report and will be submitted on 
request. 

EXCERPTS FROM LETTER 

" Feeling as I do that the many injustices 

done my husband by Mr. Bruce was indirectly the cause of his 
death, viz. : the sending of a very unkind postcard .... 
Mr. Bruce made a stiff, reluctant effort to apologize, but Mr. 
Madella never appreciated, never thought him real. 

'Many times at home in conversation with me, he would 
say that he had been unkindly dealt with because he would not 
assist Mr. Bruce in carrying out his dirty work. Among the 
last statements miade by Mr. Madella, he said : "I am ivorried 
and ivorked to death ; I can't make it." 

"Kind friends, out of the depth of my heart, I v/ould say, 
aivay with such a man." 

Very trulv yours, 
(Signed) (Mrs.) F. D. MADELLA." 



Now to the next instance. Mr. Bruce in his testim.ony had 
been speaking disparagingly of several former colored mem- 
bers of the Board and Mr. Thurston as well. Finally, he was 
asked by Mr. Learned whether he had ever been called into any 
of the meeting of the Board by the present superintendent. 
He replied : "No.'' He did say that he was called before the con- 
ference concerning the "slush" fund letter in May last. He 
further claimed that Dr. van Schaick "had insisted" that he 
appear in conference to be heard as to his (Mr. Bruce's) rec- 
ommendation for the colored director of music, since Mr. 
Thurston had made a different recommendation. Mr. Bruce 
well knew that Dr. Van Schaick left for France in June 1917, 
and that the conference concerning this position did not con- 
vene until some months later. This is direct evidence of un- 
trustworthiness. (See page 707.) 

Moreover, it is intimated more than once in the testimony 
that Mr. Bruce's reputation is good among the white citizens 
of the District. It is more important, however, that it should 
be good among the colored citizens, as he stands at the head of 
their schools. Be that last as it may, it is a matter of record 
as will be shown from now on in this report that his truth, 
sincerity and veracity are not unqualifiedly endorsed, nor even 
with reasonable satisfactoriness, by the larger number of 
white citizens appearing before this committee. 

In this connection it s enlightening to first review the testi- 
mony of Dr. , a white citizen, eminent in his pro- 
fession, foremost in civic activities, and respected by all per- 
sons. The testimony of this witness, detailing as it does m.any 
actual instances of direct falsification, of duplicity and of 
deceit, strongly corroborates the public claim as to Mr. Bruce. 
Mr. Bruce in his testimony endeavored to interpose defenses 
against several matters testified to against him, but we have 
from him not one word of reply to the severe arraignment by 

Dr. . (See pages 202, 227, inclusively.) 

12 



Moreover, even the testimony of Captain 



Mr. Bruce's staunch friend, indicates that Mr. Bruce is not the 
type of man in the fullest sense of the word for the position he 
holds. On page 473, see the following: 

Mr. Peyton : "Is he a man positive and direct, or otherwise, 
in your opinion?'' 

Capt. : "I wish he was more direct." 

See further on page 475 : 

Capt. : "I will say he may not be quite as di- 
rect as he might be somtimes, but I should think it was because 
he did not want to hurt anybody's feelings. I think he is ab- 
solutely honest and frank." 

Although Capt. has endeavored to make con- 
tradictory statements in order to minimize a direct previous 
admission by him of lack of character on the part of Mr. 
Bruce, yet it is evident beyond the shadow of a doubt that he 
has condemned the man by his first damaging statement. It is 
absurd to endeavor to ctaim frankness and candor on the part 
of one whom we wish might be more direct. The endeavor is 
too flimsy not to be seen through. 

It is also instructive to note the effect of the testimony of 

Mr. , another supporter of Mr. Bruce, as to the 

type of man Mr. Bruce is. A reading of page 401, bottom, 
through to page 405, reveals admissions as to lack of self- 
respect, and lack of heart, which means lack of courage, on the 
part of Mr. Bruce. Furthermore, on pages 407 and 408, Mr. 

admits weakness by Mr. Bruce to the extent of 

failure to take a definite stand, but endeavors to attribute this 
to force from superiors. There is, however, no such provision 
in the organic act for the coercive power that he suggests is 
held by superiors over Mr. Bruce. 

Mr. , an ex-member of the Board of Education, 

in his testimony, from page 573 to 579, holds that Mr. Bruce is 
not the type of man for his position, because of his connection 
with the notorious "Relay" affair and because of his weak 
attitude on the Moens case. Besides, on page 579, he holds 
Mr. Bruce to be lacking in force. 

These indictments of him, some given wittingly, others un- 
wittingly, establish beyond any peradventure his lack in 
truth, veracity, sincerity and manly qualities. These facts 
ought to carry conviction that he is not the proper man to head 
the colored schools. 

Again, one who is sincerely seeking the good and bad traits 
in the character of Mr. Bruce must be impressed with the 
unanimity of the statements of the witnesses before the 
committee respecting his reputation for truth and veracity. 
Not more than one or tvvo state positively that his reputation 
for truth and veracity is good. Three or four of the thirty 
some witnesses ventured to say that they individually had 
found him truthful, but the others either charged him with 
being untruthful or declared that his reputation for truth and 
veracity is bad. The most damaging statements as to his bad 
reputation come from those who have had intimate contact 
with him in the discharge of his official duties ; and they have 
supported their statements by concrete cases which stand in 
13 



the record not explained av/ay and undenied. I would refer 

specifically on this point to the testimony of Mr. , 

a supervising principal, Dr. , a prominent white 

physician, Miss , a school teacher, Mr. , 

and Mrs. , two widely respected colored citizens. 

The cited instances involved deliberate falshoods on the part of 
Mr. Bruce and justify his bad reputation as to truth, sincerity 
and veracity. 

At least two witnesses, Mr. , and Dr. 

two supervising principals, have stated that Mr. 



Bruce shifts the responsibility for his official acts to the 
shoulders of other officers, and they have given in evidence 
illustrative cases. (See testimony, from page 188 to 190; and 
from 163 to 164.) 

Mr. Bruce himself does not disprove these charges in his 
own testimony. Nor does he deny that his administration has 
been almost constantly under fire ; but he charges the fault to 
the interference with his administration by Board members 
and the present superintendent of schools. The law very clear- 
ly points out the duties of all persons connected with our 
schools, and it is an admission of weakness and unfitness for 
office if Mr. Bruce does not execute the duties of his office as 
required by law, even granting, fr the sake of argument, that 
such influence as he alleged had tended to divert him from 
such course. 

His friends urge that his dereliction grows out of Mr. 
Thurston's coercive power over him. Such, however, is not a 
fact. For not only cannot Mr. Thurston dismiss Mr. Bruce, 
but the organic act in some very important instances gives Mr. 
Bruce statutory powers practically co-equal with those of the 
superintendent. (See section 6, Organic Act in re-promotion 
of colored teachers.) 

The writer feels moved to make a brief reference to the much 
talked of Moens case. The testimony shows that Mr. Bruce 
nevr made any written recommendation in re the dismissal of 
Miss Charlotte Hunter, although Moens had been arrested at 
her house in the fall of 1918. Nor did he urge such action 
orally until the spring of 1919, when the Parents' League pre- 
cipitated a crisis. 

Surely no one would dare claim in defense that the fault for 
this inaction rests on the superintendent of schools, when all 
along the criticism of Mr, Bruce's supporters have been that 
the superintendent of schools has had the poor colored assis- 
tant by the throat, that the poor colored assistant was being 
made the goat and that the powers of his office were being 
usurped. It would be too palpably inconsistent. 

At this juncture the writer of this report feels that a passing 
comment must be made in reference to the notorious and in- 
defensible "slush" fund letter. Although a certain witness 
in her testimony says that it was prepared by the committee at 
the old M Street and was circulated therefrom, Mr. Bruce had 
previously stated when called down before a conference of the 
Board that he had prepared the original document in his 
office and in his own handwriting ; that it had been there type- 
written, initialed by his clerk, and circulated therefrom. He 

14 



further corroborates this original statement before the investi- 
gating committee. He does endeavor, however, in the inves- 
tigation to show that he was zealous of protecting the reputa- 
tion of his teachers. It is interesting to note that the chival- 
rous Sir Galahad's desire to so nobly rescue the poor oppressed 
teachers did not emanate until he himself was personally at- 
tacked ... by the Parents' League. It is a known fact 
that any soliciting of funds in the public schools without per- 
jnission of the Board of Education is contrary to Congression- 
al enactment. And worst of all to pool moneys as proposed in 
this letter in order to sue for damages and then to pro rate the 
amount secured in suit in proportion to the money contributed 
and not in proportion to the damage done is practically crimi- 
nal. 

Nearing now the conclusion, the writer feels moved by 
a sense of duty as regards fair play to note that a large part 
of the testimony is contained in the questions of the chairman. 
And the chairman even went further and wrote into the ap- 
pendix, of his own authority, and without any proof, the 
statement that one of the witnesses opposed to Mr. Bruce is 
the mother of an epileptic; and by the same sort of license, 
states in his preliminary report without any evidence in sup- 
port that Mr. Bruce read science after leaving school. He 
cannot thus break down the testimony of the witness above 
referred to ; nor can he in such fashion establish the sufficiency 
of Mr. Bruce's education. The composition of this appendix 
was never submitted to the writer for his opinion. 

The incorporation into the record by the chairman of the 
Tanner letter in an endeavor to hurt the people's case, and the 
exclusion of the letter of a certain prominent school official, 
which is damaging to Mr. Bruce, will not escape the notice of 
unprejudiced people when they read the record of this case. 

Moreover, the procedure in the submission of the majority 
report is very interesting as well as suggestive. On October 1, 
1919, the chairman of the special investigating committee de- 
tailed orally from a brief what purported to be the majority 
report. At this meeting the burden of blame for all failures 
affecting Mr. Bruce's administration was laid at Mr. Thurs- 
ton's door. He was arraigned. This was done, too, during his 
absence; for he had been excluded contrary to law from the 
meeting. 

At the meeting of October 8, 1919, witness an entire change 
of front. The chairman appears with a formal, written 
report, and all blame as regards the allegations concerning 
Mr. Thurston's maladministration has been eliminated. Mr. 
Thurston also was present at this meeting. 

But the capstone of unwise procedure is found in the fact 
that Mr. Bruce was summoned to this executive session where 
his case was to be settled, and the document absolving him 
was even submitted to him for his approval and comment. And 
even after this, the report was still not ready for filing. 

The writer of this report, after thirty years' practice at the 
bar, is forced to record his disapproval of such injudicial 
methods of procedure, when the gravity of the case and the 
15 



peculiar character of the situation from the standpoint of the 
public both require action that will be above question or 
suspicion. 

As an explanation in closing, it seems wise to state that, 
comprising as it does a brief review of over seven hundred 
pages of testimony, this report is of necessity limited in its 
specific references because of the lack of time. It must suifice 
to say that, although many other instances may be found in 
substantiation of claims of lack on the part of Mr. Bruce, the 
writer of this report has tried in his simple way to point out 
some of those most forcefully salient. 

It is, then, the contention of the writer of this report that 
Roscoe C. Bruce, as is proven by the testimony, does not meas- 
ure up in his educational qualifications to the demands requis- 
ite for his office. 

It is also the claim of the writer of this report that, in the 
only lines of original administrative policy disclosed by the tes- 
timony, Mr. Bruce has been proven grossly inefficient. And 
worst of all, it has been shown that he has wastef ully expended 
public money. 

It is further a contention of the writer that he is guilty of ad- 
ministrative inefficiency through indisputable proof of lack of 
character. He is shown to be undependable, lacking in direct- 
ness, candor, frankness and truthfulness. It is also established 
that he is lacking in backbone and manly insistence. 

It is needless to say that his usefulness is at an end. His 
moral effect upon teachers and children has vanished. His 
powers to serve the community have waned. Every day he 
remains at the head of the colored schools but serves to bring 
nearer their complete disintegration. Ruin and destruction 
can but follow, and poor colored children can but be stinted 
in their larger growth and inclined towards ends destructive of 
the best interests of our fair land and special community. 

FIRST: I therefore recommend that Roscoe C. Bruce be 
separated from official service in the public schools of the 
District. 

SECOND : I further recommend that the testimony in this 
case and all the correspondence and proceedings herein, in- 
cluding the majority and minority reports, be made accessible 
to public inspection ; for if the judgment of the majority of the 
committee is just and right and that of the minority is wrong, 
the community should know that the prevailing side is sup- 
ported by the testimony. 

Respectfully submitted by, 

FOUNTAIN PEYTON. 

As Minority Report of the 
Above-Named Special Committee. 
Washington, D. C. 
October , 1919 



16 



ADDENDA- — The following correspoudeuce is published herewith at 
the request of, and in justice to, Mr. Daiuel Murray, a prominent, public- 
spirited citizen of Washington, D. C. who vainly sought an opportunity to 
testify before the special committee. It explains itself. 



934 S Street N. W. 

Washington, D. C. 
August 15, 1919. 
Mr. H. B. Learned, 
Chairman, etc., 
Washington, D. C. 
My Dear Sir, 

I feel a deep sense of dissatisfaction and discouragement over your 
neglect to call upon me to testify before the Committee, particularly, after 
I indicated in my letter the character of the testimony I would give, con- 
sisting of letters, etc., which by their nature compel conviction of the 
charge of making false statements. 

While at the Ferry I read Dr. Tanner's comments in "The Times" on the 
character of the Committee and his belief that the committee wished only 
testimony that conformed in its nature to a purpose to sustain a precon- 
ceived verdict. His letter by decrying secret sessions increased to a very 
marked degree the responsibility of the Committee and left it for them to 
either confirm his severe strictures or by high and honorable conduct dis- 
prove the same. This failure to call me will serve to reopen the case. I 
am not satisfied. 

From Mrs. Murray, I learned that, as she entered the Committe room to 
testify she met Cap't. Oyster emerging and that he had placed before the 
Committee letters of a very caustic character that I had written to him 
when I opposed his confirmation as District Commissioner. Why was he 
allowed to testify for Bruce and bring me conspicuously into the matter and 
I be denied a similar opportunity? I indicated in my letter my willingness 
to appear and when I returned from the Ferry, I confidently expected to 
find a letter from you to that effect. You can scarcely imagine my amaze- 
ment when I failed to receive any acknowledgement at all. It was un- 
expected and the omission strongly resented. The rules of civility if 
nothing more was in evidence entitled me to an answer and it was not 
unreasonable for me to look for one, since I had written to the Chairman 
of a Committee of the Board of Education at the Capital of the Nation. 
supposedly, conducting an honest investigation. 

In my view, the action of the Board in this case, the "Woods Case" and 
that of Dr. Thompson, has been wabbly and inconsistent and in the judg- 
ment of many, far from commendable. On the testimony of two citizens, that 
Miss Wood lacked patriotism, the Board suspended her. On the testimony 
cf a policeman that he smelled liquor on Principal Thompson he is forced 
out and yet I have seen the Asst. Supt. take drink after drink in the house 
of my brother-in-law, and feel certain that quite a hundred could have been 
produced before the Committee to testify to excessive drinking and other 
moral delinquencies. They seemed not to invite the truth. 

I was told before the Committee met that the Rev. Dr. "Van Schaick, at 
a conference at his house made the astounding statement that no testimony 
in relation to the moral habits of the Asst. Supt. would be received. That 
was heralded from one end of the town to the other. This left as to 
Dr. Van Schaick but one conclusion ; that in his opinion, any old repro- 
bate, possessing some educatiOu might with the approval of the Board, be 

17 



at the head of the Colored schools. Could the people of color expect a 
a just verdict after this? I was later told that you privately informed each 
witness as they took the stand that testimony on the moral side would be 
received. Can such methods command public respect? It is at once appar- 
ent from the above that only those prepared to testify in the limited way 
previously indicated by the Rev. Dr. Van Schaick, presented themselves. 
The prohibition view as announced by Dr. Van Schaick prevailed all over 
the city and on every side it was dubbed the fake investigation. I did not 
know that the rule had been modified as the residt of protest until the in- 
vestigation was over. It was a shameful thing. In view of this painfully 
unfair arrangement, the view of Dr. Tanner assumes added importance and 
is endorsed by thousands. 

In closing this letter, which I have purposely made plain since I felt 
you needed more light on the matter though I hope it is free from dis- 
courtesy, I fear there are indications that the verdict will be unsatisfactory 
Bince I will bitterly protest on acquittal. It will not have the full testi- 
mony. Everything seems to have been arranged to conceal rather than 
disclose the truth. Only a tenth of the very damaging testimony in the 
possession of the League was possible of presentation under the grossly 
unfair arrangement and ruling for conducting the hearing. I am hopeful 
that you will on mature reflection agree with me in my strictures. Your 
failure to summon me to testify, was, to say the least, grossly unfair. 

Begging your pardon for inflicting such a long letter upon you, I beg 
to remain. 

Very truly yours, 

(Sgned) DANIEL MURRAY. 



934 S Street, N. W., 
Washington, D. C. 
August 21, 1919. 
Fountain Peyton, Esq., 

Member of Special Comm., 

Board of Education. 
Sir: 

I write to express my dissatisfaction over the neglect of the Committee 
to call me to testify before the Special Committee supposed to be investiga- 
ting Roscoe C. Bruce. This failui-e to notify me becomes doubly significant 
and questionable, when I declare I wrote two letters to Mr. George E. 
Hamilton expressing my desire to be called to testify and in regard to which 
I never received even an acknowledgment. August 4th I wrote to the chair- 
man of the Special Committee, Mr. H. B. Learned, stating that I had 
valuable documentary evidence which I wished to lay before the Committee, 
showing up unmistakably the mendacity of the Assistant Superintendent, 
in a school matter in which Dr. W. V. Tunnell, then a member of the Board 
ot Education, and myself were interested. Failing to receive even an 
acknowledgement from the Chairman of the Special Committee, I fear my 
request was not laid before the Committee, but suppressed by the Chair- 
man. I am rather loath to make so grave a charge against the Chairman of 
the Committee; bi;t as I addressed my letter to the Franklin Building, 
where the committee met, I am led to assume it was received. 

I should have been allowed to testfy and been interrogated on such 
matters as were brought forward concerning the following case. 

Not to be called was most unfair and a rank injustcie. Had I been 
summoned, I would have presented the following case : — 

18 



In 1010 my son, Nathaniel A. Murray, who had graduated from the 
M Street High School, then from the Agricultural Department of Hampton 
Institute and was a second year student in the Agricultural Department 
of Cornell, was during his vacation placed in charge of the summer garden 
work for the colored schools in Washington, D. C. In a letter to me in Feb., 
1911, he expressed a desire to have the work again if he gave satisfaction. 
I immediately sought Miss Sipe who directed the work, to secure her testi- 
mony. She told me his work was the i)ost she ever had. I asked her would 
she recommend him. She told me she would above any she then knew. 
This information I conveyed to my son at Cornell. Thereupon he made 
application for the work in March 1911. Tlien begun a series of mendacious 
evasions on the part of the Asst. Supt., which ended in a direct falsehood 
concerning the matter to Dr. Wm. V. Tunnell, at the time a member of the 
Board of Education. To my son's application Mr. Bruce, under date of 
March 22, 1911, replied as follows : 

March 22, 1911. 
Mr. N. A. Murray, 

357 Cascadilla Building, 
Ithaca, N. Y. 
My dear Mr. Murray, 

In response to your inquiry, let me say that Superintendent Stuart 
informs that it will hardly be possible to continue the Cardoza School 
gardens during the ensuing summer. There are a number of difficulties 
which stand in the way and which can hardly be overcome. I regret this 
very much indeed, because I think the operation of the gardens at this 
school is a most wholesome thing, during the summer vacation especially. 

There are no prospects so far as I know for permanent work with 
school gardens for the colored schools in this city. Congress has not seen 
its way clear to give gardening the support which its importance really 
deserves Should I hear of anything, however, which would be likely to 
interest you, I should be most happy to inform you of it. 

Faithfully yours, 

(Signed) ROSCOE C. BRUCE, 

Assistant Superintendent 
of Public Schools, D. C. 



This was in substance false, as will be shown by the follow- 
ing facts: Early in April 1911, Mr. Bruce, hoping to conceal 
his connection with the contemplated school garden at Dean- 
wood, D. C, and escape a direct falsehood, got Mr. Stephen 
Kramer to open up the matter with Mr. Francis Cardoza, who 
had been dismissed by the Board some time before and had a 
large family to support. This Cardoza rumor having reached 
Mrs. Murray, she called early in May 1911 on Miss Sipe, who 
told Mrs. Murray that Mr. Bruce had decided not to open in 
1911 any school garden. She accepted Miss Sipe's word. 
Whether she knew at the tim.e that Mr. Bruce, as an act of 
mendacious deception, had turned the matter over to Stephen 
Kramer, I am not prepared to say. I do know, however, she was 
in charge of the work. In this connection it is proper to say : 
Mrs. Murray avers that on Sunday, May 1911, still seeking 
information and anxious to get at the bottom facts, she called 
on Mrs. Susan B. Sipe and verified Miss Sipe's previous state- 
19 



inent in 1910 to Mr. Murray, that Mr. Nathaniel Murray's 
work in the school garden of that year was the best she ever 
had in the colored schools, and that at any opportunity she 
would recommend him. She was then asked, "Why in view 
^f your previous unsuccessful experience with gardeners lack- 
ing training, were you willing to again experiment with a 
person who had never had a course of training in gardening 
work, when it was possible to obtain one of thorough training?" 
and was reminded that she was dealing with a public fund, 
and that her action in the matter involved a great principle, 
and one of the greatest importance in school management. To 
this query no satisfactory^ answer was given. 

Uncertain as to whether the school garden would be opened, 
the matter of my son's connection therewith was dropped. On 
Sunday, June 18, 1911, Mrs. Murray met Prof. W. S. Mont- 
gomery, who inquired if Nathaniel was to again have charge 
of the school garden. She told him she was informed none 
would be opened. He told her she was misinformed, since the 
ground for such was being prepared at Deanwood. That after- 
noon she went to Deanwood ; and I later wrote to Superinten- 
dent Stuart on the matter and to Dr. Wm. V. Tunnell, who sent 
for Mr. Bruce, who denied that he intended to name Mr. 
Cardoza or even to recommned him. Thereupon Dr. Tunnell 
under date of June 24, 1911, wrote me the following letter: 



Board of Education, etc., 
Franklin School Bldg., Wash., D. C. 

Saturday Morn., June 24, 1911. 
My dear Mr. Murray : 

Have made inquiry as to the substance of your recent letter to me and 
have been informed that there has been no appointment of Mr. Cardoza to a 
school garden, that no appointment, not even a recommendation, will be or 
has been made. So that you have apparently been misinformed. 
With ardent regards to the family, I am, 

Yours truly, 

(Signed) WILLIAM V. TUNNELL. 



In this connection I recall that Mr. George E. Hamilton, at 
a Board meeting in 1918, speaking in regard to a claim made 
by Dr. Johnson that Mr. Bruce had not fulfilled a promise, said, 
"Whenever an officer of these schools in any matter deceives 
a member of the Board, he commits a gravely serious offense." 

Having in view the above declaration, I am glad to believe 
Mr. Hamilton will aid in ridding the school system of the cul- 
prit in this case. 

But to resumxe the narrative. Following the conversation 
between Dr. Tunnell and the Assistant Superintendent detailed 
above, Mr. Bruce, under date of June 26, 1911, sent him the 
following : 

June 26, 1911. 
My dear Dr. Tunnell: ' 

I beg to reaffirm my statement to you in conversation at your home on 
;Saturday morning, that is is not my intention, and has never been my in- 

20 



.tention, to recommend the appointment of Mr. F L. Cardoza to take charge 
•of school gardens in preference to that of Mr. Nathaniel Murray. The 
fact of the matter is, that Mr. Murray, for several years a student in 
.agriculture at Cornell University, is much better qualified technically for 
this work than Mr. F. L. Cardoza. I have simply gone so far in this 
matter as to say that, if two persons are to be appointed to take charge of 
:School gardens this summer, I should recommend, first, Mr. Murray, and 
second, Mr. Cardoza. I am advised that moneys are available for the em- 
ployment of these two gentlemen for this purpose. 

Very respectfully, 

(Signed) ROSCOE C. BRUCE, 

Assistant Superintendent 
of Public Schools, D. C. 
;P. S. — I should be very grateful if you would forward this letter to Mr. 
Daniel Murray so that he will labor under no misapprehension as to 
the facts in the case. 
N. B. — I may say that before mailing this letter to you, Dr. Tunnell, I have 
shown it to Mr. S. E. Cramer, who is familiar with the facts in this 
case. 

(Signed) ROSCOE C. BRUCE, 
Assistant Superintendent of Public Schools. D. C. 



On rceiving, June 18, my letter of protest, Dr. Tunnell con- 
ferred with Mr. A. T. Stuart, Superintendent, and no doubt 
showed him the above letter. The Board met on June 28, 
when it was expected the matter would come up for Board 
action. From Dr. Tunnell I learned that he was in the office of 
Mr. Stuart, and picked up the recommendation that had come 
down from Mr. Bruce's office and found written therein : "For 
Director of Gardens, etc., F. L. Cardoza." He thereupon called 
the matter to Mr. Stuart's attention, who remarked: "Did 
Bruce send that down here?'' and ran his pen through Car- 
doza's name and wrote in Nathaniel A. Murray. He was con- 
firmed. Mr. Cardoza complained that he had not been justly 
treated in the matter, since he had received from Mr. Stephen 
Kramer, early in April 1911, information that, acting for Mr. 
Bruce, he was to arrange with him to conduct the school garden 
work that year, beginning July 1. In accordance with this un- 
derstanding, on June 7, Miss Sipe, in charge of the work, called 
upon him at Deanwood and placed him in charge of the school 
garden there. She stated, however, that a formal notice from 
Mr. Bruce would follow; which did five daj^s later, or June 12, 
and a copy of which is here given : 

Washington, D C. June 12, 1911. 
Principal F. L. Cardoza, 
The Smothers School, 
Washington, D. C. 
My Dear Mr. Cardoza : 

In reply to your inquiry, I beg to say that you are authorized to use 
the children at your school in connection with the garden work there 
during unassigned time and time for nature study. 

Hoping that yoii will make every effort to develop first class gardens, 
I am 

Very respectfully, 

(Signed) ROSCOE C. BRUCE. 
21 



/ 



The above letter is to be read in connection with Bruce's 
verbal assurance June 24, 1911, to Dr. Tunnell, followed by 
that of the 26th, that he did not contemplate appointing Car- 
doza, nor even making a recommendation of him for such 
work. In view of this letter to Cardoza on June 12, no honest 
person can escape the conclusion that Bruce lied to Dr. Tunnell. 
On the 14th, Cardoza received the following letter from Miss 
Sipe: 

Washington, D. C, 

June 14, 1911. 
Mr. Cardoza, 

Deanwood School, D. C. 
Dear Mr. Cardoza : 

I have ordered sent to your school as soon as possible the cedar posts, 
wire, lumber for gate and bracing the corner posts, staples for fastening 
the wire hinges and lock for gate. As these things are ordered on requisi- 
tion, it will probably be the end of the month before they come. 

In the meantime I have asked Mr. Hine to send to you by Monday 
15 rakes, 15 hoes, 1 spade and 5 spading forks ; some tomato and geranium 
plants that are left in our greenhouse ; 250 stakes for the plots, and seeds. 
I shall try to get a man to you on Monday or Tuesday to stake the land 
off. I'll enclose a plan we generally follow. 

I shall hold a teachers' meeting of the teachers of the garden work in 
the white schools on Friday, June 16, at 3 :30, in the Board room of the 
Franklin. If you can attend, I think you will receive some assistance. 

Truly yours, 

(Signed) SUSAN B. SIPE. 



It will be observed that the letter of Assistant Superinten- 
dent Bruce to Mr. Cardoza dated June 12 is a reply, and must 
be read in connection with Mr. Cardoza's letter detailing Miss 
Sipe's visit of June the 7th, when she told him full appoint- 
ment must follow. Cardoza evidently thought the same, and 
the letter of June the 12th by Assistant Superintendent Bruce 
conveys the same in the following words : "My dear Mr. Car- 
doza : In reply to your inquiry, I beg to say that you are au- 
thorized, etc., etc." And Mr. Bruce further adds : "Hoping 
that you will m.ake every effort to develop first class gardens, 
etc." 

There can be no doubt in the mind of an intelligent person 
that the above conveys all the authority of an appointment, 
and could a doubt arise, which seems impossible, it is settled 
by the train of subsequent events and acts. 

As I had been one of the principal factors in the matter, all 
the letters received by Dr. Tunnell from Mr. Cardoza, were 
turned over to me, and with them in hand, I brought charges 
against Mr. Bruce before Superintendent Davidson, who had 
in the meantime succeeded Mr. Stuart, and urged a change in 
the office of Assistant Superintendent in charge of colored 
schools on the score that he had forfeited public confidence, 
etc., in the Cardoza case and was no longer worthy of belief. 
Having laid irrefutable proof before him, I pressed Dr. David- 
son continually to make a change on the score that he could not 
afford to apologize or in any way screen him. 

22 



Dr. Tunnell, fully convinced on the 28th that Mr. Bruce had 
lied to him while being interviewed in his house June the 24th 
and that on the strength of Mr. Bruce's denial of any relation- 
ship with Cardoza he had written me as he did. He thereupon 
called upon Mr. Cardoza under date of July the 15th to give 
him all documents, etc., touching the matter and under date 
of July 17th, 1911, received the following reply: 

Deanwood, D. C, 
July 17, 1911. 
Pr. W. v. Tunnell, 

Board of Education, 

Public Schools, D. C. 
Dear Sir: 

I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your kind favor of the 
15th inst., respecting the school garden at the Deanwood School, and 
l)eforo making reply take leave to quote the following therefrom : 

" .... I am desirous of knowing the tvhole history of the 
■school garden matter — how you came to take it up this spring, i. e., by 
'whose order or direction and how it comes to pass that after bestowing 
labor on the garden you are separated from it. Pray give me in, writing 
all the information you have about it, and forward any documents, letters, 
etc., you have bearing on the matter." " .... If you have been given 
any verbal directions by telephone or otherwise, I would like to have them, 
so that I may understand the case in all its entirety." You will recall the 
underscoring as being your own. 

In compliance with your request, I offer the following statement : On 
June the 7th last, I was visited at Deanwood School by Miss Susan B. 
Sipe, in charge of District school gardens, and after careful survey with 
her of the girls' playground was asked by her to lay off space for a school 
garden, forward dimensions thereof, have the ground ploughed and har- 
rowed, and was engaged as gardener at two dollars ($2.00) per diem, 
salary, however, not to begin until July the 1st. Miss Sipe's manner was 
frank and unhestitating. With the understanding that formal appointment 
to the Deanwood School Garden and salary per verbal contract would 
come in due course, I promptly accepted Miss Sipe's proposition and active- 
ly entered upon the carrying out of her suggestions, developing a garden 
plan suitable to the local suburban situation. Upon receipt of a com- 
Tiiunication from Assistant Superintendent Bruce, June the 12th, (sub- 
mitted herewith), containing the following: " . . . . You are autho- 
rized to use the children of your school in connection with the garden work 
there during unassigned time and time for nature study. Hoping that you 
will make every effort to develop first class gardens, etc.," I formed classes 
of pupil gardeners and personally directed and supervised their work — in 
fact, I now felt surely authorized to make "every effort to develop first 
class gai'dens." 

The labor of putting the ground in condition for gardening was much 
lightened by the hearty cooperation of the pupils and teachers of the school 
and the appreciative attitude of the citizens of this section generally. Much 
satisfaction at the establishment of a garden at Deanwood was shown and 
the several citizens' associations hereabout publicly endorsed the step. 
Their interest was also manifested by donations of vegetable plants and 
fertilizing material. Miss Sipe^s letter of June the 14th (submitted here- 
with) and the meeting of teachers at Franklin School referred to therein, 
which I attended, were interesting and profitable. Meanwhile with the help 
23 



of pupil gardeners I had donated and transplanted from mj' own home 
garden, about two squares distant, 57 melon, 49 cabbage and G5 cucumber 
plants, had set out 59 tomato and 72 geranium plants sent out by the District 
Government, and had planted corn, bean, radish and lettuce seed, all ot 
which are now growing, so that at the end of the month, as had been 
suggested by Miss Sipe and urged by Assistant Superintendent Bruce, the 
garden was not only in a very fertile state, but classes of gardeners had 
been formed, lessons had been given, and much work in planting had been 
done. 

On Friday, June the 30th, I learned that the Board of Education at 
its meeting on Wednesday, June the 28th had refused to confirm my ap- 
pointment as gardener at Deanwood and instead had appointed N. A. Mur- 
ray thereto. At a meeting of the Board held Saturday, July the 1st, two 
gardens for colored schools were created, one at Deanwood, the other at 
Bii-ney School, Anacostia. Quite naturally it was very generally expected 
by the parents here and by others elsewhere, that I would be assigned to 
the garden at Deanwood and Mr. Murray sent to Birney. Superintendent 
Stuart, Mr. Kramer, Secretary Hine and Miss Summy w'ere appealed to 
in turn by Mr. Bruce to settle the matter of assignment, but each declined, 
all stating that a settlement of the case should be made by Mr. Bruce him- 
self. (Miss E. I. Summy, 1623 R Street, N. W., 'phone ? who was 

left in charge of gardens by Miss Sipe during her absence, has important 
information bearing on this matter of assignment.) 

Perforce, therefore, Mr. Bruce was given to decide the matter and 
Mr. Murray and myself were summoned to his office. The decision was 
rendered in substantially the following language: "I shall assign Mr. 
Murray to the Deanwood School Garden and Mr. Cardoza to the Birney 
School Garden but because of the labor he has already expended at the 
Deanwood Garden, Mr. Cardoza should be given credit for whatever 
success is finally achieved there." No reason was offere<l for this 
decision, and no discussion was allowed by Mr. Bruce. It has been stated 
by others, however, that the decision was made at the suggestion, because 
of the urging, and with the approval, of two higher oflBcials. I promptly 
informed Mr. Bruce of my withdrawal from school garden work, and at 
his suggestion set forth my reason in writing (duplicate herewith). 

On July the 6th, of my own volition I delivered a communication to 
Mr. Murray at the Deanwood School Garden, containing my plans, etc., 
for the garden, and the names and residences of thirty-five (35) or more 
pupil volunteers for the gardens (duplicate herewith). Two of my own 
children are among these, and have attended since that date. 

My grievous disappointment at this decision is not alone due to the fact 
that it effected my separation from school gardens — work in which I have 
always been genuinely interested — but that it has not improved my standing 
in this community and has deprived me of earning $100.00 or more, which 
is, as Mr. Bruce certainly knows, and as other oflicials probably know, of 
vital importance to me at the present time. 
With respect and esteem, I am 

"Very truly, 

(Signed) F. L. CARDOZA. 

Thus was brought to light Mr. Bruce's letter of June the 12th to Cardoza, 
he having on that date by letter put him in charge. 

In submitting the above case, Mr. Peyton, I am convinced I do the 
public of Washington a distinct service, since I feel sure the Board of 
Education cannot ignore the foregoing in the Bruce case, made up as it 

24 



i.s of letters, etc., which prove beyond a doubt the iintrnthCul character 
of the Assistant Superintendent; and that they cannot eseapo croathi:;- n 
vacancy. No one can apologize for the person involved, nor mitigate tai; 
sin of habitual deception and lying, without taking on himsoi:' all t'.io in- 
famy and opprobrium that attaches to a notorious liar. 

Very truly yours, 

( Signed ) 

DAN I EI, :MUnKAY. 



ADDITIONAL REFERENCES TO TESTIMONY BEFORE THE 

SPECIAL INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD 

IN THE BRUCE CASE 

M , School Principal, (Page 1). "Certainly it is not my job 

to criticise my superior." 

M , High School Teacher, (Page 17). "My own impression 

is not as good of him (Bruce as to honesty, justice and f airmindeduess ) as 
it was of Mr. Cook. I do not consider him the same kind of man. I would 
not put him in the same class" . . . 

Mr. Learned: On the whole, if I get your point, you are inclined to 
think that he is not so high-minded a man as Mr. Cook? 

Miss . Not nearly. I would not say quite so. There is a 

great difference in my mind between the two men. I have this to say also : 
I told you that I have not had such direct contact with Mr. Bruce as I had 
■with Mr. Cook, and part of my opinion, my feeling, is based upon common 
report. 

Mr. Learned : There is a good deal of opposition to Mr. Bruce, is there 
not: 

Miss : Yes, sir. 

Mr. Learned: Do you think it is generally well based on the whole? 

Miss : I do think so. 

Mr. Peyton : I would like to ask you what is Mr. Bruce's reputation 
among the teachers generally and among the better element of citizens as to 
truth and veracity in the administration of his office. 

Miss : It is bad. 

Mr. High School teacher, (Page 38). 

Mr. I^earned : Do you mean that he is not quite direct in his speech? 

Mr. : Yes. But of course I have often thought that if he 

were they would criticize him for that. 

Mr. Learned : Is there any lack of honesty in this direct method of 
speech of which you and others have sometimes complained? 

Mr. : Well I have heard it as a matter of general gossip 

that there is, but personally I do not know of anything. 

Mr. Peyton : What would you say was his general reputation among 
teachers for fairness as an administrator. 

Mr. . I think his reputation would be fair all right. I do 

not say very good, but it would be average. 

M . Normal School Teacher (Page 71). 

"I think Mr. Bruce finds great difficulty in refusing anyone anything, 
and he has perhaps been courteous to people to almost too great an extent. 
That is, he has not always said no when no was the only possible answer. 
Consequently people who are not keen in reading between the lines would 
not be able to fathom his meaning in some respects. 

25 



M , Branch Director in Colored Schools (Page 108). 

Mr. Peyton : In the light of that discussion what would you say was 
his reputation among the teachers and in the community for veracity? 

Mrs. : Some of them say one thing and some say another. 

Mr. Peyton: Some say truthful and some he is untruthful? 

Mrs. : Yes, sir. 

Mr. Learned : Do you think on the whole, if I may interject, that he is 
a truthful, honorable, able man? 

Mrs. : I think, Mr. Learned, that he is a very capable man, 

I think he is a very fine young man. I think Mr. Bruce, especially in the 
last few years, has tried to do all that he could to measure up to his job. 

M- , High School Teacher, (Page 122). 

Mr. Learned : In your eyes is Mr. Bruce a competent man to handle 
the educational problems of the schools? 

Mr. : I do not believe so. 

Mr. Learned: Do you think he is a competent administrator? 

Mr. : I do not. . . . I do not believe that he stimu- 
lates any teacher . . . 

Mr. Learned : Has he what you would call a philosophy of education? 

Mr. : He has not. 

Mr. Learned : What is the undei'lying cause of this criticism of Mr. 
Bruce? 

Mr. ; As I believe it the underlying cause is that it is the 

general belief from what I have heard spoken of and said to the effect that 
Mr. Bruce is lacking in sufficient moral stamina to head the schools. 

Mr. Peyton : What is Mr. Bruce's reputation among the teachers and 
people at large for truth and veracity? 

Mr. — : As I have heard of, very bad. 

Mr. , Teacher (Page 153). 

Mr. Peyton : From your experience as a supervisor and from your 
acquaintance with the teachers in the schools, would you say that Mr. 
Bruce has the confidence of the teaching force? 

Mr. : I do not think he has of a good many of them. I do 

not know how many, but from intimate relations of a good many of them 
they have expressed the want of confidence. I suppose there are others 
who have expressed confidence. 

Mr. Peyton : Do you know what his reputation among the teachers 
in a large part of the community is for truth and veracity? 

Mr. : Well I have heard it often stated that Mr. Bruce 

equivocates. 

Mr. Learned. In other words, does he not lack the sort of strictness 
that we like to see when we deal with men? 

Mr. : I think he does lack that, sir. 

Mr. Peyton : Through yoiir experience with him and through your 
talks with teachers, what would you say as to Mr. Bruce"s reputation for 
accepting or shifting responsibility for the acts of his office? 

Mr. : Well, it seems to me that he has often seemed to avoid 

taking the downright responsibility that belonged to his office. 

Mr. , Supei-vising Principal, (Page 172). 

Mr. Learned: As an educator, then, if I get your point, and as an ad- 
ministrator you think well of Mr. Bruce? 

Mr. : Not as an administrator, no. 

Mr. Learned : But as an educator. 

26 



Mv. : Yes, as an educator I thiuk he is all right. 

;s1y. : "Well, I find this, that, unfortunately, there has crept 

into the system a feeling of uncertainty in regard to Mr. Bruce. The 
teachers have not that confidence in his statements. 

Mr. Learned: They distrust him, iu other words? 

Mr. : That is the plain English of it. 

Mr. :....! do not believe the teachers generally go 

to Mr. Bruce. 

Mr. Learned: Why not? 

Mr. : Well, because iu the beginning they have been to 

Mr. Bruce and the.^' have come back with a feeling that they have not been 
dealt with quite as squarely as they felt they should have been dealt with. 

Mr. Peyton : As an administrative officer how does Mr. Bruce compare 
with those gentlemen, his predecessors? 

Mr. : Not very favorably because Mr. Cook was a man whose 

word was accepted by all of the teaching body, oflicers and teachers. When 
Mr. Cook gave a promise the teachers felt that it was fulfilled immediately. 
Dr. Montgomery was the same, x 

Mr. Peyton : Now what is Mr. Bruce's reputation among the school 
officers and teachers for disposition to stand behind his acts and not to 
shift the responsibility onto his subordinates? 

Mr. : It is not a very good one. The teachers feel that 

Mr. Bruce will shift responsibility. 

Miss , Supervising Principal (Page 191). 

Mr. Peyton : What suggestion ever came to you from Mr. Bruce that 
has assisted you in your work and promoted the usefulness of the school 
under you. 

Miss : Well, at this very moment I cannot think of any. 

Dr. , Dentist (white) (Page 202), 

Dr. : Well, as I told Mr. Bruce once, he is not tactful. He 

wil make many promises which he evidently knows at the time that it is 
impossible for him to fulfill, .... If the entire teaching corps have 
no confidence in Mr. Bruce — and I do know that 90 per cent have not — 
it matters not what he may do, he cannot be satisfactory to the teachers, 
where there is lack of confidence. 

I think that if I was in his position and 20,000 or more colored people 
had no confidence in rae and wanted me out of the system 1 would resign. 
I certainly would not want to attend a patient if that patient had no con- 
fidence in him. 

My own experience with Mr. Bruce, I am sorry to say, has not been 
verj' satisfactory as far as his truthfulness is concerned. Mr. Bruce de- 
liberately fabricated to me on one occasion and I told him that — if I 
may be allowed to speak plain — I told him that he had lied, deliberately 
lied and deceived me, and then it was that he came to see me and tried to 
smooth the thing over by telling another lie. 

Mr. Learned : Do you remember another instance of his lying? 

Dr. : Well, I have had several instances; I cannot say the 

exact time, but it is over a period of several years. (Enumerates instances.) 

Miss , School Teacher (Page 233.) 

I would call Mr. Montgomery decidedly Mr. Bruce's superior — de- 
cidedly. In fact, he is an older man : he has had more experience. 

Mr. Learned: Is he (Bruce) a serious man as an educator? Can he 

27 



be taken seriously, not merely by Washington people interested in rightr 
schooling, but by the country at large, among his own people? 

Miss : I should not think so. . . . , I think the public 

generally feels that Mr. Bruce is not to be trusted. 

Mr. Learned : You distrust him then? 

Miss : I think I do and I think I have reason to. . . . L 

think a number of teachers have at different times said things ; they said' 
Mr. Bruce did not tell the truth and when people get that around, and 
persons are willing to stand up and prove that thing is true, the genei^al 
feeling of the community is based upon that particular thing. 

Mr. , physician (Page 324). 

Mr. Learned : In other words, you do know something about his ad- 
ministration. 

Mr. : I do. 

Mr. Learned: Does it reflect in your mind credibly upon him or not? 

Mr. : It does not. 

Mr. Learned : In other words, you think he is not a man who keeps his^ 
promises ? 

Mr. : I know he is not. I don't only think it, I know he is- 

not. 

Mr. Learned : In other words, your point of view is, if I get it, that 
he has been an untrustworthy man as assistant superintendent and he is- 
not the kind of man that ought to be at the head of the colored schools- 
ii- this district. 

Mr. : That is my opinion. 

Dr. , Baptist Minister (Page 359). 

Mr. Learned: Do you consider him (Bruce) a man of character. 

Dr. : No. 

Mr. Learned : What is the ground for those criticisms? 

Dr. : Well, his unfair dealings and inefficient administration 

of the school affairs. 

M , teacher (Page 409). 

Mr. Peyton: Have they (teachers and people generally) respect for 
Mr. Bruce's truth and veracity? 

M : I do not believe they have. The majority of them that 

I have talked with have not. They can tell me things that I didn't even 
think of and beside that the school system of today is more discordant than 
it has ever been. I know that years ago you could not get a teacher to 
say anything about the superintendent or the assistant. 

Mr. , High School Teacher (Page 422). 

M,r. Learned : Is there really a tendency on Mr. Bruce's part to be 
somewhat inconclusive and often indirect in a way that brings upon him 
the criticism of misstatement, and sometimes perhaps falsehood? 

Mr. : I think, yes. I think it is because he is charitable 

and things of that kind. 

Mr. , Ex-member of School Board, (Page 433). 

Mr. Peyton : Is he a man positive and direct or otherwise in your 
opinion ? 

Mr. : I wish he was more direct. No, I think he knows 

what he is talking about. He does not like to give offense to anybody. 

28 



Mr, : I will say he may not be quite as direct as he might 

be sometimes but I should think it was because he did not want to hurt 
anybody's feelings. I think he is absolutely honest and frank. 

Mrs. , Ex-teacher. (Page 477). 

Mrs. : Well, Mr. Bruce's preparation for his work was not- 
equal to the task he accepted. 

Mr. Learned: In what way do you think it failed? 

Mrs. : Well, he was not educationally equipped. You knoW 

his course at Harvard was built largely upon the subjects of economics and 
philosophy. 

Mr. Learned: What things have failed which he touched? 

Mrs. : Well, in the first place he had arrayed the high 

school teachers against him to such an extent that they petitioned him 
to discontinue the subject of model lessons which he had imposed upon 
them and it created considerable friction and they were discontinued. 

Mrs. : I want also to say to this committee, which they 

probably know, that there is scarcely anyone that has any confidence in 
Mr. Bruce's word. 

Mr. Learned: Scarcely anyone where? 

Mrs. : In this city : in the town. 

Mr. Learned: White and colored people included? 

Mrs. : Well, I heard some white people say the same thing, 

not many because my acquaintance — 

Mr. Peyton : What was Mr. Bruce's reputation for drinking? 

Mrs. : He is a hard drinker like his father. 

Mr. Learned: How do you know that, may I ask? 

Mrs. : Well, I have seen him. 

Mr. Learned : Have you seen him under the influence of liquor? 

Mrs. : Partially so. 

Mr. Learned : Where and when, under what circumstances ? 

Mrs. : I was nursing a sick relative and was, of course, de- 
tained until sometimes one and two o'clock in the morning, and I saw him 
often with a bottle at the side of a chair. 

Miss , School Teacher (Page 521). 

Mr. Peyton : What would you say as to his reputation for truth and 
veracity among the teachers and the community? 

Miss : I cannot say, Mr. Peyton. I find that many 

teachers believe Mr. Bruce perfectly honest and square. You see it de- 
pends upon the point of view. The teachers of whom I associate are proud 
of Mr. Bruce, really proud of him. 

Miss , School Principal, Page 539). 

Miss : I could not say that I have had as restful a time 

during Mr. Bruce's administration, and I would not consider his administra- 
tion as favorable as compared with the other two. 

Mr. Learned : In other words, you think his administration is in- 
ferior? 

Miss : Yes, sir, as far as I know. 

Mr. Peyton : Do you think that the teachers generally have confidence 
in Mr. Bruce? 

Miss : Well, Mr. Peyton, I don't know so much about that. 

I have only come into contact with some of them. Some have and some 
have not. 

29 



Mr. Peyton : What is his reputation among them generally for truth 
and veracity? 

Miss : Among the teachers '? 

Mr. Peyton : Among the teachers and parents. 

Miss : I have not discussed my superior oif cer with many — 

Mr. Peyton: Have you heard him discussed by others? 

Miss : Sometimes I have. 

Mr. Peyton : What do they say about his truth and veracity ? Did 
they say it was good or bad? 

Miss : I have heard some say he would not adhere to the 

truth. 

Mr. , Former Member of School Board, (Page 563). 

Mr. Learned : .... Is it your idea that Mr. Bruce should 
have taken a straightforward attitude ; that he should have come to the 
white superintendent and made an instant request, if not a demand, that 
this teacher, Charlotte Hunter should be removed from the schools? 

Mr. — : I thinli that course ought to have been pursued. 

Mr. : .... I think he lacks force. I am inclined to 

think that he is a poor organizer. I believe that these matters, more or 
less, of a social nature have weakened his influence. I have always 
believed that the development of the mind from the standpoint of the 
teacher is secondary as compared with the development of the moralities 
of the child. 

Mr. Peyton: ... Mr. Bruce's best friends seem to admit 
for him that he is not strong enough to say "No" when he ought to say 
'No." Do you think that sort of character is a proper person to be at 
the head of a big school system? 

Mr. : No, I do not. 

Mr. : .... Thesa matters to which I have referred 

Lavfcf of necessity, weakened him in the minds of many of his race. 

Mr. , Clergyman (Page 586). 

It is my idea that while Mr. Bruce is a man of excellent education he 
has not api>ealed to the best judgment of the teachers as one that they 
could rely upon — as one they coiild depend upon to conserve their best 
interests. 

Mr. : I take it from those with whom I talked that he lacks 

that force of character that would appeal to the general community. 

Mr. Learned: Is he straightforward or indirect? 

Mr. : Those with whom I have talked and who have had 

intimate dealings with Mr. Bruce invariably say he is indirect. 

Mr. : I can say, I think truthfully, that ninety per cent 

cf the teachers in the public schools, the colored public schools, have not 
the confidence in their Assistant Superintendent that would guarantee the 
successful carrying on of the work of such a system as we have. 

Miss , Teacher (Page 614). 

Miss : I think there has been dissatisfaction with Mr. Bruce 

for some time under the surface. 

Mr. Learned : Is he a truthful man? 

Miss : I could not say he was from some experiences I 

have had with him. 

Mr. Peyton : How is Mr. Bruce regarded among the people and teachers 
for truth and veracity? 

30 



I^igg : I do not think hi» record is very good along those? 

lines from comments I have heard. 

Mr. Peyton: Have the teachers or have they not confidence in the 
administration of his office? 

j^jigg : Many of them have no confidence if I may believe 

what they have said to me at various times. 



31 



}(M' 



